Solid state formation of Ti4AlN3 in cathodic arc deposited (Ti1-xAlx)Ny alloys

Reactive cathodic arc deposition was used to grow substoichiometric solid solution cubic c-(Ti1-xAlx)N-y thin films. The films were removed from the substrate and then heated in an argon environment to 1400 degrees C. Via solid state reactions, formation of MAX phase Ti4AlN3 was obtained. Additional phases such as Ti2AlN, c-TiN, w-AIN, Al5Ti2 and Al3Ti were also present during the solid state reaction. Ti4AlN3 formation was observed in samples with an Al metal fraction x < 0.63 and a nitrogen content 0.4 < y < 0.6. Regardless of the initial composition, formation of Ti4AlN3 started in Ti2AlN crystal plates in the temperature range between 1200 and 1400 degrees C. Accompanying the onset of Ti4AlN3 was the presence of an intermediate structure identified as Ti6Al2N4, consisting of alternating layers of intergrown Ti2AlN and Ti4AlN3 phases with a half-unit-cell stacking. We suggest that the formation of Ti4AlN3 occurred via intercalation of aluminum and nitrogen along the basal plane accompanied by a simultaneous detwinning process. In addition we propose that this formation mechanism can be used to obtain MAX phases of high n order. (C) 2017 Acta Materialia Inc. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.