Submitted:
31 October 2025
Posted:
04 November 2025
You are already at the latest version
Abstract
Keywords:
1. Introduction
- high corrosion resistance, due in part to the presence of chromium;
- high heat and thermal shock resistance, allowing it to be used at temperatures up to +600 °C. At this temperature, the steel’s structure remains unchanged for a considerable period;
- good weldability, ensured by its low carbon content;
- good ductility, which improves the machinability of products made from this steel.
2. Materials and Methods
3. Results
3.1. Comparison of the Effectiveness of Using HCS and IB Methods
3.2. Determining the Optimal Value of Substrate Bias Voltage Using the HCS Method
3.3. Research of Wear Patterns of Samples and Structure of the Interface Between the Coating and the Substrate
3.4. Resistance of Samples with the Studied Coatings to Destruction During Scratch Testing
4. Conclusions
Author Contributions
Funding
Institutional Review Board Statement
Informed Consent Statement
Data Availability Statement
Conflicts of Interest
References
- Huang, Z.; Zhang, J.; Ma, Z.; Yuan, S.; Yang, H. Research Progress on the Relationship Between Microstructure and Properties of AISI 321 Stainless Steel. Appl. Sci. 2024, 14, 10196. [CrossRef]
- Kasana, S.S.; Pandey, O. Effect of heat treatment on microstructure and mechanical properties of boron containing Ti-Stabilized AISI-321 steel for nuclear power plant application. Mater. Today Commun. 2021, 26. [CrossRef]
- Zhang, W.; Wu, J.; Wen, Y.; Ye, J.; Li, N. Characterization of different work hardening behavior in AISI 321 stainless steel and Hadfield steel. J. Mater. Sci. 2010, 45, 3433–3437. [CrossRef]
- Chen, H.; Li, W.; Chen, W.; Chen, J.; Zhang, S. Influence of prior creep-fatigue exposure on remnant tensile and creep properties of AISI 321 austenite stainless steel. Int. J. Fatigue 2022, 159. [CrossRef]
- Tiamiyu, A.A.; Eduok, U.; Szpunar, J.A.; Odeshi, A.G. Corrosion behavior of metastable AISI 321 austenitic stainless steel: Investigating the effect of grain size and prior plastic deformation on its degradation pattern in saline media. Sci. Rep. 2019, 9, 12116. [CrossRef]
- Wiaderek, K.J. The structure, properties and change in the cross-sectional corrosion resistance of a nitrided layer produced on AISI 321 steel. Int. J. Surf. Sci. Eng. 2016, 10, 503–513. [CrossRef]
- Muthu, S.M.; Arivarasu, M.; Krishna, T.H.; Ganguly, S.; Prabhakar, K.V.P.; Mohanty, S. Improvement in hot corrosion resistance of dissimilar alloy 825 and AISI 321 CO2-laser weldment by HVOF coating in aggressive salt environment at 900°C. Int. J. Miner. Met. Mater. 2020, 27, 1536–1550. [CrossRef]
- Simon, C.R.; Haugsrud, R.; Musiani, M.; Barison, S.; Walmsley, J.C.; Jacques, T.; Bredesen, R. Effects of Silica Nano-Particle Coatings on High-Temperature Oxidation of AISI 321. Mater. Sci. Forum 2004, 461-464, 281–288. [CrossRef]
- Bauyrzhan, R.; Alexander, P.; Zhuldyz, S.; Dastan, B.; Vyacheslav, B.; Mukhamedova, A. Effect of Bilayer Thickness and Bias Potential on the Structure and Properties of (TiZr/Nb)N Multilayer Coatings as a Result of Arc-PVD Deposition. Materials 2022, 15, 7696. [CrossRef]
- Grigoriev, S.; Volosova, M.; Sotova, C.; Milovich, F.; Seleznev, A.; Makarevich, K.; Potapov, P.; Vereschaka, A. Increasing the Wear Resistance of Stainless Steel Products by Depositing Modifying Coatings Based on Zirconium Nitride with the Addition of Niobium, Hafnium, and Titanium. J. Manuf. Mater. Process. 2025, 9, 316. [CrossRef]
- Frey, H.; Khan, H.R. Handbook of Thin Film Technology. Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg, 2015.
- Grigorovich, K.V.; Petrov, L.M.; Sprygin, G.S.; Smirnova, A.N. Features of the Formation of Surface Layers on Metal Materials by the of Electric Arc Vacuum-Ion-Plasma Deposition Method. Russ. Met. (Metally) 2022, 2022, 1449–1455. [CrossRef]
- Luchkin, A.G.; Luchkin, G.S. Cleaning the Surface of Substrates for Coating by Vacuum-Plasma Methods. Bulletin of the Kazan Technological University 2012, 15, 208–210.
- Oura, K.; Lifshitz, V.G.; Saranin, A.A.; Zotov, A.V.; Katayama, M. Introduction to surface physics. Nauka, Moscow, 2006.
- Tillmann, W.; Hagen, L.; Stangier, D.; Krabiell, M.; Schröder, P.; Tiller, J.; Krumm, C.; Sternemann, C.; Paulus, M.; Elbers, M. Influence of etching-pretreatment on nano-grained WC-Co surfaces and properties of PVD/HVOF duplex coatings. Surf. Coatings Technol. 2019, 374, 32–43. [CrossRef]
- Pemmasani, S.P.; Valleti, K.; Gundakaram, R.C.; Rajulapati, K.V.; Mantripragada, R.; Koppoju, S.; Joshi, S.V. Effect of microstructure and phase constitution on mechanical properties of Ti1−xAlxN coatings. Appl. Surf. Sci. 2014, 313, 936–946. [CrossRef]
- Yang, J.; Odén, M.; Johansson-Jõesaar, M.; Esteve, J.; Llanes, L. Mechanical strength of ground WC-Co cemented carbides after coating deposition. Mater. Sci. Eng. A 2017, 689, 72–77. [CrossRef]
- Barshilia, H.C.; Ananth, A.; Khan, J.; Srinivas, G. Ar + H2 plasma etching for improved adhesion of PVD coatings on steel substrates. Vacuum 2012, 86, 1165–1173. [CrossRef]
- Buchwalder, A.; Zenker, R. Pre- and post-surface treatments using electron beam technology for load-related application of thermochemical and PVD hard coatings on soft substrate materials. Surf. Coatings Technol. 2019, 375, 920–932. [CrossRef]
- Guo, X.; Liu, F.; Zhang, K.; Wang, C.; Piao, Z.; Sun, L. Controllable preparation of micro-textures on WC/Co substrate surface by an integrated laser-dry etching process for improving PVD coatings adhesion. Appl. Surf. Sci. 2020, 534. [CrossRef]
- Zhang, K.; Deng, J.; Guo, X.; Sun, L.; Lei, S. Study on the adhesion and tribological behavior of PVD TiAlN coatings with a multi-scale textured substrate surface. Int. J. Refract. Met. Hard Mater. 2018, 72, 292–305. [CrossRef]
- Meng, X.; Zhang, K.; Guo, X.; Wang, C.; Sun, L. Preparation of micro-textures on cemented carbide substrate surface by plasma-assisted laser machining to enhance the PVD tool coatings adhesion. J. Mech. Work. Technol. 2021, 288. [CrossRef]
- Stepanovsky, A.S. Ionic Processing of Materials. Mechanical Engineering: Science and Technology 2013, 14.
- Komarovskaya, V.M.; Ivashchenko, S.A. Optimization of modes of ion treatment of the surface of non-metallic materials. Hardening Technologies And Coatings 2013, 3, 23–27.
- Zabrodin, I.G.; Zorina, M.V.; Kaskov, I.A.; Malyshev, I.V.; Mikhailenko, M.S.; Pestov, A.E.; Salashchenko, N.N.; Chernyshev, A.K.; Chkhalo, N.I. Ion-beam techniques for precision processing of optical surfaces. J. Tech. Phys. 2020, 90(11), 1922–1930.
- Grebenyuk, V.F.; Rudakov, V.I. Ion-plasma technology for hardening a deforming tool. Vestnik OGU 2003, 5, 137–140.
- Berlin, E.; Dvinin, S.; Seidman, L., World of Materials and Technologies. Vacuum technology and equipment for deposition and etching of thin films. Technosphere, Moscow, 2007.
- Hovsepian, P.; Reinhard, C.; Ehiasarian, A. CrAlYN/CrN superlattice coatings deposited by the combined high power impulse magnetron sputtering/unbalanced magnetron sputtering technique. Surf. Coatings Technol. 2006, 201, 4105–4110. [CrossRef]
- Grigoriev, S.; Vereschaka, A.; Zelenkov, V.; Sitnikov, N.; Bublikov, J.; Milovich, F.; Andreev, N.; Sotova, C. Investigation of the influence of the features of the deposition process on the structural features of microparticles in PVD coatings. Vacuum 2022, 202. [CrossRef]
- Berish, R. Problems of Applied Physics. Sputtering of solids by ion bombardment 1986, II, 482.
- Lieberman, M.A.; Lichtenberg, A.J. Principles of Plasma Discharges and Materials Processing, 2nd ed.; Wiley: Hoboken, NJ, USA, 2005.
- Lattemann, M.; Ehiasarian, A.; Bohlmark, J.; Persson, P.; Helmersson, U. Investigation of high power impulse magnetron sputtering pretreated interfaces for adhesion enhancement of hard coatings on steel. Surf. Coatings Technol. 2006, 200, 6495–6499. [CrossRef]
- Mukha, I.M.; Shcherbakova, L.I. Effect of Heating by a Glow Discharge on the Surface State of Transition-Metal Carbides. Elektronnaya Obrabotka Materialov 1976, 3, 53–56.
- Mattox, M.D. A Short History of In Situ Cleaning in Vacuum for Physical Vapor Deposition (PVD). SVC Bull. Fall 2014, 50–52.
- Broitman, E.; Hultman, L. Adhesion improvement of carbon-based coatings through a high ionization deposition technique. J. Phys. Conf. Ser. 2012, 370, 012009. [CrossRef]
- Betiuk, M.; Michalski, J.; Burdyński, K.; Wach, P.; Nakonieczny, A. Influence of Ion Etching in Low Pressure Arc Discharge in Plasma on Duplex Coat Adhesion Produced by Gas Nitriding and PA-PVD-Arc Processes. Mater. Manuf. Process. 2009, 24, 859–862. [CrossRef]
- Breidenstein, B.; Denkena, B. Significance of residual stress in PVD-coated carbide cutting tools. CIRP Ann. 2013, 62, 67–70. [CrossRef]
- Denkena, B.; Breidenstein, B. Residual stress gradients in PVD-coated carbide cutting tools. Mater. Sci. Forum 2006, 524–525, 607–612.
- Gassner, M.; Schalk, N.; Sartory, B.; Pohler, M.; Czettl, C.; Mitterer, C. Influence of Ar ion etching on the surface topography of cemented carbide cutting inserts. Int. J. Refract. Met. Hard Mater. 2017, 69, 234–239. [CrossRef]
- Yang, J.; Odén, M.; Johansson-Jõesaar, M.; Llanes, L. Grinding Effects on Surface Integrity and Mechanical Strength of WC-Co Cemented Carbides. Procedia CIRP 2014, 13, 257–263. [CrossRef]
- Kablov, E.N.; Muboyadzhyan, S.A. Ion etching and surface modification of critical machine parts in vacuum-arc plasma. Bulletin of MSTU im. N.E. Bauman 2011, 149–162.
- Panjan, M. Influence of substrate rotation and target arrangement on the periodicity and uniformity of layered coatings. Surf. Coatings Technol. 2013, 235, 32–44. [CrossRef]
- Panjan, P.; Drnovšek, A.; Gselman, P.; Čekada, M.; Panjan, M. Review of Growth Defects in Thin Films Prepared by PVD Techniques. Coatings 2020, 10, 447. [CrossRef]
- Panjan, P.; Drnovšek, A.; Mahne, N.; Čekada, M.; Panjan, M. Surface Topography of PVD Hard Coatings. Coatings 2021, 11, 1387. [CrossRef]
- Schönjahn, C.; Lewis, D.; W.-D., M.; Petrov, I. Shortlisted substrate ion etching in combined steered cathodic arc–ubm deposition system: Effects on interface architecture, adhesion, and tool performance. Surf. Eng. 2000, 16, 176–180. [CrossRef]
- Panjan, P.; Drnovšek, A.; Čekada, M.; Panjan, M. Contamination of Substrate-Coating Interface Caused by Ion Etching. Coatings 2022, 12, 846. [CrossRef]
- Zadorozhnyi, V.G.; Rafalovich, D.M.; Roikh, I.L. Effect of Surface Treatment of Steel with a Glow Discharge on the Adhesion and Porosity of Vacuum Coatings of Polyfluorotrichloroethylene. Elektronnaya Obrabotka Materialov 1977, 1, 43–45.
- Vetter, J.; Burgmer, W.; Perry, A.J. Arc-enhanced glow discharge in vacuum arc machines. Surf. Coatings Technol. 1993, 59, 152–155. [CrossRef]
- Wang, Y.; Guo, F.; Ren, H.; Hu, S.; Chen, Y.; Zhao, Y.; Gong, F.; Xie, Z. Enhancing wear resistance of TiN coating by gradient bias voltage and arc-enhanced glow discharge. Ceram. Int. 2022, 48, 8746–8750. [CrossRef]
- Xue, G.; Wang, Z.; Xiang, L.; Xiao, H.; Zhao, Y.; Wan, Y.; Ning, H.; Xie, Z. Enhancing hot corrosion performance of NiCoCrAlY/AlSiY coating by arc enhanced glow discharge. Mater. Lett. X 2022, 13. [CrossRef]
- Marciniak, A. Non-uniform heating effects during treatment in a glow discharge. Thin Solid Films 1988, 156, 337–344. [CrossRef]
- Samir, T.; Liu, Y.; Zhao, L.-L.; Zhou, Y.-W. Effect of driving frequency on electron heating in capacitively coupled RF argon glow discharges at low pressure. Chin. Phys. B 2017, 26, 115201. [CrossRef]
- Grigoriev, S.; Melnik, Y.; Metel, A. Broad fast neutral molecule beam sources for industrial-scale beam-assisted deposition. Surf. Coatings Technol. 2002, 156, 44–49. [CrossRef]
- Bublikov, J.; Volosova, M.; Vereschaka, A.; Milovich, F.; Seleznev, A.; Shmakov, I.; Grigoriev, S. Hollow cathode effect in a glow discharge for cleaning and heating substrate surfaces during wear-resistant coating deposition (under consideration in Journal of Materials Research and Technology).
- Vereschaka, A.A.; Bublikov, J.I.; Sitnikov, N.N.; Oganyan, G.V.; Sotova, C.S. Influence of nanolayer thickness on the performance properties of multilayer composite nano-structured modified coatings for metal-cutting tools. Int. J. Adv. Manuf. Technol. 2017, 95, 2625–2640. [CrossRef]
- Vereschaka, A.A.; Vereschaka, A.S.; Bublikov, J.I.; Aksenenko, A.Y.; Sitnikov, N.N. Study of properties of nanostructured multilayer composite coatings of Ti-TiN-(TiCrAl)N and Zr-ZrN-(ZrNbCrAl)N. J Nano Res-SW 2016, 40, 90–98.
- Adaskin, A.M.; Vereshchaka, A.A.; Vereshchaka, A.S. Study of wear mechanism of hard-alloy tools during machining of refractory alloys. J. Frict. Wear 2013, 34, 208–213. [CrossRef]
- Vereschaka, A.; Grigoriev, S.; Milovich, F.; Sitnikov, N.; Migranov, M.; Andreev, N.; Bublikov, J.; Sotova, C. Investigation of tribological and functional properties of Cr,Mo-(Cr,Mo)N-(Cr,Mo,Al)N multilayer composite coating. Tribol. Int. 2021, 155. [CrossRef]
- Vereschaka, A.; Milovich, F.; Migranov, M.; Andreev, N.; Alexandrov, I.; Muranov, A.; Mikhailov, M.; Tatarkanov, A. Investigation of the tribological and operational properties of (Mex,Moy,Al1-(x+y))N (Me –Ti, Zr or Cr) coatings. Tribol. Int. 2022, 165. [CrossRef]
- Grigoriev, S.; Sotova, C.; Vereschaka, A.; Uglov, V.; Cherenda, N. Modifying Coatings for Medical Implants Made of Titanium Alloys. Metals 2023, 13, 718. [CrossRef]
- Tao, H.; Zhylinski, V.; Vereschaka, A.; Chayeuski, V.; Yuanming, H.; Milovich, F.; Sotova, C.; Seleznev, A.; Salychits, O. Comparison of the Mechanical Properties and Corrosion Resistance of the Cr-CrN, Ti-TiN, Zr-ZrN, and Mo-MoN Coatings. Coatings 2023, 13, 750. [CrossRef]
- Vereschaka, A.; Grigoriev, S.; Sladkov, D. Nano-Scale Multi-Layered Coatings for Cutting Tools Generated Using Assisted Filtered Cathodic-Vacuum-Arc Deposition (AFCVAD). Appl. Mech. Mater. 2013, 325-326, 1454–1459. [CrossRef]
- Grigoriev, S.; Vereschaka, A.; Milovich, F.; Sitnikov, N.; Seleznev, A.; Sotova, C.; Bublikov, J. Influence of the yttrium cathode arc current on the yttrium content in the (Ti,Y,Al)N coating and the coating properties. Vacuum 2024, 222. [CrossRef]
- дoбавить.
- дoбавить.
- ASTM C1624-05; Standard Test Method for Adhesion Strength and Mechanical Failure Modes of Ceramic8 Coatings by Quan-tmmitative Single Point Scratch testing. ASTM International: West Conshohocken, PA, USA, 2010. [CrossRef]
- 67. ASTM G99-23; Standard Test Method for Wear and Friction Testing with a Pin-on-Disk or Ball-on-Disk Apparatus. ASTM: West Conshohocken, PA, USA, 2023. Available online: https://store.astm.org/standards/g99 (accessed on 22 June 2025).
- Tillmann, W.; Hagen, L.; Stangier, D.; Dias, N.F.L.; Görtz, J.; Kensy, M.D. Lapping and polishing of additively manufactured 316L substrates and their effects on the microstructural evolution and adhesion of PVD CrAlN coatings. Surf. Coatings Technol. 2021, 428. [CrossRef]
- Harlin, P.; Bexell, U.; Olsson, M. Influence of surface topography of arc-deposited TiN and sputter-deposited WC/C coatings on the initial material transfer tendency and friction characteristics under dry sliding contact conditions. Surf. Coatings Technol. 2009, 203, 1748–1755. [CrossRef]
- Liu, W.; Xu, Z.; Peng, J.; Wang, C. Microwave plasma etching of SS304 substrates for improved PVD coating adhesion. Appl. Surf. Sci. 2025, 708. [CrossRef]
- Olofsson, J.; Gerth, J.; Nyberg, H.; Wiklund, U.; Jacobson, S. On the influence from micro topography of PVD coatings on friction behaviour, material transfer and tribofilm formation. Wear 2011, 271, 2046–2057. [CrossRef]
- Kazmanli, M.; Ürgen, M.; Cakir, A. Effect of nitrogen pressure, bias voltage and substrate temperature on the phase structure of Mo–N coatings produced by cathodic arc PVD. Surf. Coatings Technol. 2003, 167, 77–82. [CrossRef]
- Taghavi Pourian Azar, G.; Er, D.; Ürgen, M. The role of superimposing pulse bias voltage on DC bias on the macroparticle attachment and structure of TiAlN coatings produced with CA-PVD. Surf. Coatings Technol. 2018, 350, 1050–1057. [CrossRef]
- Warcholinski, B.; Gilewicz, A. Effect of substrate bias voltage on the properties of CrCN and CrN coatings deposited by cathodic arc evaporation. Vacuum 2013, 90, 145–150. [CrossRef]
- Hua, M.; Ma, H.; Li, J.; Mok, C. Tribological behaviours of patterned PVD TiN spot coatings on M2 steel coated with different bias voltages. Surf. Coatings Technol. 2006, 200, 3612–3625. [CrossRef]
- Sudoplatov, S.V. Approximating formulae. Siberian Electronic Mathematical Reports 2024, 21(1), 463–480.
- Han, L.; Gao, X.; Yang, H. Characteristic Representation of Stock Time Series Data Based on Trend Extreme Points of K-line Combinations. J. Comput. Inf. Technol. 2025, 33, 43–56. [CrossRef]
- Fokin, V.N.; Fokina, E.E.; Tarasov, B.P. Hydrogenation of the intermetallic compound Zr2Ni. Inorg. Mater. 2013, 50, 19–22. [CrossRef]
- Deibert, M.C.; Wright, R.B. The surface composition and initial oxidation of zirconium-nickel intermetallic compounds at room temperature. Appl. Surf. Sci. 1988, 35, 93–109. [CrossRef]
- Moura, C.; Motta, A.; Lam, N.; Amaral, L. Point defect energetics in the ZrNi and Zr2Ni intermetallics. Nucl. Instruments Methods Phys. Res. Sect. B: Beam Interactions Mater. Atoms 2001, 175-177, 526–531. [CrossRef]











| Designation of samples | HCS 1 | HCS 2 | HCS 3 |
| Substrate bias voltage, V | –900 V | –1200 V | –1500 V |
Disclaimer/Publisher’s Note: The statements, opinions and data contained in all publications are solely those of the individual author(s) and contributor(s) and not of MDPI and/or the editor(s). MDPI and/or the editor(s) disclaim responsibility for any injury to people or property resulting from any ideas, methods, instructions or products referred to in the content. |
© 2025 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland. This article is an open access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative Commons Attribution (CC BY) license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/).