Nanoindentation and scratch resistance of multilayered TiO2-SiO2 coatings with different nanocolumnar structures deposited by PV-OAD

This paper presents a study of the mechanical properties and an evaluation of damage mechanisms of nanocolumnar TiO2-SiO2 multilayer coatings prepared by physical vapour oblique angle deposition at different configurations (slanted, zigzag or chiral) and two zenithal evaporation angles (70 degrees or 85 degrees). The characterization at micro-and nanometric length scales of the mechanical properties of the multilayers has been carried out by nanoindentation and nanoscratch tests, while the morphological evaluation of the surface and sub-surface damages produced with a sharp indenter and the adhesive and/or cohesive failures between coating and substrate have been investigated by field emission scanning electron microscopy and focused ion beam, respectively. The obtained results have shown that the main processing parameters controlling the mechanical response of the different multilayers is the zenithal angle of deposition and the number of layers in the multilayer stack, while the coating architecture had only a minor effect on the mechanical response. This analysis also revealed a higher resistance to scratch testing and a brittle failure behaviour for the low zenithal angle coatings as compared with the high angle ones.