Stainless steel and chromium-electroplated metal can change their metallic surface aspects into different colours by thin film deposition technologies. In this study, the colour change of titanium carbonitride (TiCxNy) thin films as a function of N2 and CH4 flow rates in the deposition process was investigated. TiCxNy thin films were deposited by cathodic arc in an industrial equipment at low temperature (125°C) for decorative purposes. The samples were analysed by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, glow discharge optical emissions spectroscopy, nanohardness, nanoscratch test and colorimetric analysis. The colour slightly changes from yellow gold to light bronze with carbon addition in the thin film structure. Scratch test determines an increase of the critical load for both plastic deformation and delamination as the carbon content increases. The failure mode shifts from brittle/ductile mode to ductile mode with the increase of the carbon content.
JedzejowskiP, Klemberg-SpiehaJE, MatinuL.Optical properties and color of hard quaternary nanocomposite TiCxNy/SiCN coatings prepared by plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition. Surf Coat Technol. 2004;188–189:371–375. doi: 10.1016/j.surfcoat.2004.08.026
2.
ReinersG, HantscheH, JehnHA, Decorative properties and chemical composition of hard coatings. Surf Coat Technol. 1992;54–55:273–278. doi: 10.1016/S0257-8972(09)90062-7
3.
SkoworonskyL, WachowiakAA, GrabowskiA.Characterization of optical and microstructural properties of semitransparent TiO2/Ti/glass interference decorative coatings hard coating for decorative applications. Appl Surf Sci. 2016;388:731–740. doi: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2016.05.159
4.
CarvalhoP, BorgesJ, RodriguesM.S, Optical properties of zirconium oxynitride films: The effect of composition, electronic and crystalline structures. Appl Surf Sci. 2015;358:660–669. doi: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2015.09.129
5.
DamondE, JacquotP, PagnyJ.TiCxN1-x coatings by using the arc evaporation technique. Mater Sci Eng: A. 1991;140:838–841. doi: 10.1016/0921-5093(91)90522-O
6.
DeviaDM, Restrepo-ParraE, ArangoPJ.Comparative study of titanium carbide and nitride coatings grow by cathodic vacuum arc technique. Appl Surf Sci. 2011;258:1164–1174. doi: 10.1016/j.apsusc.2011.09.061
7.
ChappéJM, FernandesAC, CunhaL, TiN-based decorative coatings: color change by addition C and O. J Optoelectron Adv Mater. 2008;10(4):900–903.
8.
MouraC, CunhaL, ChappéJM, Study of thermal stability of Ti(C, O, N) decorative coatings. Plasma Process Polym. 2009;6:S755–S759. doi: 10.1002/ppap.200931806
9.
LainGC, CeminF, MenezesCM, Bias influence on titanium interlayer for titanium nitride films. Surf Eng. 2016;32:279–283. doi: 10.1179/1743294415Y.0000000097
10.
MütinstererS, KohlhofK.Cavitation protection by low temperature TiCN coatings. Surf Coat Technol. 1995;74–75:642–647. doi: 10.1016/0257-8972(95)08265-4
LeviG, KaplanWD, BambergerM.Structure refinement of titanium carbonitride (TiCN). Mater Lett. 1998;35:344–350. doi: 10.1016/S0167-577X(97)00276-0
14.
Ospina-OspinaR, JuradoJF, VélezJM, Structural and morphological characterization WCxNy thin films grown by pulsed vacuum arc discharge in an argon–nitrogen atmosphere. Surf Coat Technol. 2010;205:2191–2196. doi: 10.1016/j.surfcoat.2010.08.149
15.
ShanL, WangY, LiJ, Tribological behaviours of PVD TiN and TiCN coatings in artificial seawater. Surf Coat Technol. 2013;226:40–50. doi: 10.1016/j.surfcoat.2013.03.034
16.
ChengYH, BrowneT, HeckermanB, Influence of the C content on the mechanical and tribological properties of the TiCN coatings deposited by LAFAD technique. Surf Coat Technol. 2011;205:4024–4029. doi: 10.1016/j.surfcoat.2011.02.032
17.
JacobKT, RajS, RanneshL.Vegard's law: a fundamental relation or an approximation?Int J Mater Res. 2007;98:776–779. doi: 10.3139/146.101545
18.
AlvesLA, SagásJC, DamiãoAJ, Drude's model optical parameters and the color of TiNx films obtained through reflectivity measurements. Braz J Phys. 2015;45:59–63. doi: 10.1007/s13538-014-0294-7
19.
BeckU, ReinersG, UrbanI, Evaluation of optical properties of decorative coatings by spectroscopic ellipsometry. Thin Solid Films. 1992;220:234–240. doi: 10.1016/0040-6090(92)90578-Y
20.
Konica Minolta, INC. Precise Color Communication, Color Control for Perception for Instrumentation. Booklet for download from Konica Minolta, INC web site. 2007.
21.
FairchildMD.Color appearance models. 2ª. Rochester
: John Wiley and Sons, Ltd.; 2005. ISBN 0-470-01216-1.
22.
FuentesGG, ElizaldeE, SanzJM.Optical and electronic properties of TiCxNy films. J Appl Phys. 2001;90:2737–2743. doi: 10.1063/1.1394157
23.
SunY, LuC, YuH, Nanomechanical properties of TiCN and TiCN/Ti coatings on Ti prepared by filtered Arc depositions. Mater Sci Eng: A. 2015;625:56–64. doi: 10.1016/j.msea.2014.11.093
24.
OliverWC, PharrGM.An improved technique for determining hardness and elastic modulus using load and displacement sensing indentation experiments. J Mater Res. 1992;7:1564–1583. doi: 10.1557/JMR.1992.1564
25.
MusilJ, JiroutM.Toughness of hard nanostructures ceramic thin films. Surf Coat Technol. 2007;201:5148–5152. doi: 10.1016/j.surfcoat.2006.07.020
26.
BullSJ.Failure mode maps in the thin films scratch adhesion test. Tribol Int. 1997;30:491–498. doi: 10.1016/S0301-679X(97)00012-1
27.
BullSJ, BeraseteguiEG.An overview of the potential of quantitative coating adhesion measurement by scratch testing. Tribol Int. 2006;39:99–114. doi: 10.1016/j.triboint.2005.04.013
