Fracture behavior of CrN coatings deposited on the surface of silicon and AISI52100 steel by different energy ion beam assisted magnetron sputtering technique (IBAMS) was studied using indentation and dynamic cycle impact. It is found that, for the coatings on silicon substrate, the cracks form in the indentation corners and then propagate outward under Vickers indentation. The coating prepared using ion assisted energy of 800 eV shows the highest fracture resistance due to its compact structure. Under Rockwell indentation, only finer radial cracks are found in the CrN coating on AISI 52100 steel without ion assisting while in the condition of ion assisting energy of 800 eV, radial, lateral cracks and spalling appear in the vicinity of indentation. The fracture of CrN coatings under dynamic cycle impact is similar to fatigue. The impact fracture resistance of CrN coatings increases with the increase of ion assisting energy.

CrN coatings; IBAMS; fracture behaviors; indentation; dynamic cycle impact

Taiyuan University of Technology