CrN thin film, produced by our HCD (hollow cathode deposition) process, is availible up to 15 microns thick for your tool coating applications. CrN is produced by our NTH-1000 using the same ion plating process as TiN.
4 um X 4 um Scan of CrN Thin-film on Tool Steel
Process Characteristics
- Process temperature: 200-500° C
- Thickness of CrN film: 2-20um
- Maximum deposition area: 200mm dia. X 400mm height
- Materials that we can coat with CrN:
- machine tool steel
- high speed steel
- stainless steel
- WC-Co
CrN is produced by the electron bombardment of a chromium source by hollow cathode discharge. The resulting evaporant reacts with nitrogen gas which is continually feed into the chamber. The resulting thin film can be CrN, Cr2N, or a mixture of both, depending on the mass flow rate of nitrogen used during the deposition.
Compared with TiN thin film, CrN offers a lower coefficient of friction as well as greater resistance to lock-up during movement. As such, CrN thin film is more suitable for tribological applications. CrN also offers greater thermal resistance and acid-base corrosion resistance than does TiN thin film.
Friction test with tribometer
Current Applications
- Molds and dies
- press molds
- rubber forming molds
- glass forming molds
- drawing dies
- Mechanical Parts
- piston rings
- compresser shoes
- pump pins
- pump plungers
- textile machine parts
- Cutting tools
- copper alloy processing tools