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In this study, properties of 316L SS coated with zirconium carbide (ZrC) incorporated Ti-6Al-4 V are discussed. Ti-6Al-4V-2ZrC coating is deposited on 316L SS by magnetron sputtering technique, and also coating morphologies were investigated using SEM, XRD, EDS and AFM. The coatings thickness of 4–5 µm shows dense structure with smooth and crack-free surface and improved surface roughness (Ra) of 0.03 µm. Nanohardness of coated 316L surfaces has been upgraded and showed maximum nanohardness of 14.31 GPa with the highest elastic modulus of 207 GPa. The wear behavior has been analyzed by applying a load of 2–3 N with a contact pressure of 78.56 MPa against E-52100 steel balls which shows improvement in resistance to plastic deformation. The presence of a Ti-6Al-4V-2ZrC layer on the surface of 316L steel has increased the tribocorrosion resistance by 1.2 times higher than the uncoated 316L steel. Scratch test results show the improved adhesion behavior. At an outset, due to its enhanced properties, Ti-6Al-4V-2ZrC-coated SS 316L is an excellent alternative and can replace artificial hip joints. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nanohardness of Ti-6Al-4V-6B4C thin film coated AISI 1040 steel were investigated using nanoindentation based on an AFM measurement technique. Thin films of Ti-6Al-4V-6B4C were grown by the magnetron sputtering deposition method. X-ray diffraction analysis revealed that the deposited thin films were highly purified. The nanohardness of 18, 14 and 11.3 GPa were obtained for the coating of Ti-6Al-4V-6B4C, Ti-6Al-4V, and bare substrate respectively. The surface roughness (Ra) of 0.5 and 1 h coating were 3.39 and 15.74 nm respectively. The results showed that the B4C particles had a significant effect on the microstructural and mechanical properties of the coatings. The Ti-6Al-4V-6B4C coating was obtained for a coating thickness of 40 and 100 nm for 0.5 and 1 h coating time respectively. In the meantime, the respective coating thickness of Ti-6Al-4V was obtained as 30 and 80 nm for 0.5 and 1 h coating time respectively. Strong adhesion was observed between the Ti-6Al-4V-6B4C coating and AISI 1040 steel substrate than Ti-6Al-4V samples. The adhesion mechanism between the Ti-6Al-4V-6B4C coating, AISI 1040 steel substrate, and the interfacial structure were studied by using scanning electron microscope (SEM). The use of Ti-6Al-4V-6B4C coating could be a novel technique for developing high-performance applications due to excellent adhesion and nanohardness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]