Textured growth of polycrystalline MAX phase carbide coatings via thermal annealing of M/C/Al multilayers

M(n+1)AX(n) (MAX; n=1-3) phases are ternary layered nitride and carbide compounds featuring a combination of metallic and ceramic properties. Highly basal-plane textured and polycrystalline Cr2AlC, Ti2AlC, and Ti3AlC2 single-phase coatings have been synthesized on both amorphous and polycrystalline substrates via controlled thermal annealing of magnetron-sputtered nanoscale multilayers built by individual transition metal, carbon, and aluminum layers. Formation of substitutional solid solution carbide phases was triggered via solid-state diffusion reactions during annealing. Lower ordered Ti2AlC initially crystallized at an intermediate temperature range and was recognized as an intermediate reactant in the case of synthesizing the Ti3AlC2 312 MAX phase via annealing corresponding stoichiometric multilayers. The crystallization onset temperatures identified via in-situ high-temperature x-ray diffraction measurements were approximately 480, 660, and 820 degrees C for Cr2AlC, Ti2AlC, and Ti3AlC2, respectively. Contrary to the usually observed columnar structure representative of magnetron-sputtered coatings, the coatings synthesized via the current approach are composed of plateletlike, elongated crystallites. The nanoscale multilayered design stimulates the textured growth of MAX structures during thermal annealing. More specifically, the preferred crystallographic orientation relationships among the as-deposited transition metal layers, the intermediate solid solution phases, and the end-product MAX phases facilitate the growth of textured MAX phase films.