Corrosion behavior of Zr modified CrN coatings using metal vapor vacuum arc ion implantation

In recent years, attention has focused on the use of alternative metal nitride coatings as replacements for TiN for not only improved wear resistance and surface hardness but also for increased corrosion resistance in selected environments. While these coatings display excellent wear resistance and surface hardness, like many nitride coatings, their corrosion behavior is determined to a large extent by the presence of defects such as pinholes within the coating. Improved corrosion resistance is expected through minimizing the porosity/number of pinholes within the coating, through postdeposition surface modification. The aim of this study was to modify the surface of CrN coatings using metal vapor vacuum arc ion implantation. CrN coatings were deposited on AISI 316 stainless steel and AISI 1020 mild steel substrates using physical vapor deposition technology, followed by implantation of Zr ions into the coating at doses varying from 6x1016 to 2x1017 ions/cm2. The corrosion behavior was assessed in saline environments using linear polarization techniques and the corroded surface of the coatings was characterized using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The results of the study showed that implantation of Zr ions into CrN resulted in a lowering of the corrosion current density, suggesting improved corrosion resistance. This was though to be associated with two factors. Firstly, partial closure of the pinholes as a result of the implantation process and secondly, the formation of ZrN, CrZrN, and various oxynitrides/oxides at the surface