The effects of nitrogen bonding on hardness of AIN/CrN multilayer hard coatings.

AIN/CrN multilayer hard coatings with various bilayer thicknesses were fabricated by a reactive sputtering process. The microstructural and mechanical characterizations of multilayer coatings were investigated through transmission electron microscope (TEM) observations and the hardness measurements by nano indentation. In particular, the variation of chemical bonding states of the bilayer nitrides was elucidated by near edge X-ray absorption fine structure (NEXAFS) spectroscopy.

Age-hardening behaviour and microstructure of a silver alloy with high Cu content for dental application.

Age-hardening behaviour and the related microstructural changes of a silver alloy with relatively high Cu content were elucidated by means of hardness test, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopic (SEM) observations and electron probe microanalysis (EPMA). The microstructure of the solution-treated specimen was composed of the Ag-rich matrix, the Cu-rich particle-like structures containing Pd, and the lamellar structure of both phases. By the age-hardening heat-treatment, the Cu element began to precipitate from the Ag-rich matrix by the solubility limit, and the very fine Cu-rich precipitates became coarsened by further aging.