Effect of Microstructure on the Electrical Properties of Nano-Structured TiN Coatings Deposited by Vacuum Cold Spray

TiN coatings on Al2O3 substrates were fabricated by vacuum cold spray (VCS) process using ultrafine starting ceramic powders of 20 nm in size at room temperature (RT). Microstructure analysis of the samples was carried out by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and x-ray diffraction. Sheet resistance of the VCS TiN coatings was measured with a four-point probe. The effects of microstructure on the electrical properties of the coatings were investigated. It was found that the sheet resistance and electrical resistivity of TiN coatings were significantly associating with the spray distance, nozzle traversal speed, and deposition chamber pressure. A minimum sheet resistance of 127 Omega was achieved. The microstructural changes can be correlated to the electrical resistivity of TiN coatings.