Nanotechnology is revolutionizing the field of coating technology by enabling the creation of novel materials with unprecedented properties and functionalities. One of the most promising nanotechnology-based coating solutions is nanostructured smart coatings (NSC) that can adapt to different environments and operating conditions by changing their structure and composition.
In a recent article published in Coatings journal, researchers from Riga Technical University together with Naco Technologies PVD specialists have demonstrated their latest achievements in creating nanostructured smart coatings based on alternating carbonitride/nitride bilayers of transition metals.
These coatings have remarkable tribological and micromechanical properties that can enhance the performance of various metal components under different operating conditions. For example, these coatings can reduce the coefficient of friction by up to 80%, increase the hardness by up to 50%, improve the adhesion by up to 40%, and extend the lifetime by up to 10 times compared to conventional coatings.
One of the key factors that contribute to these outstanding properties is the use of Naco Technologies high-speed ion plasma magnetron sputtering technology. Conventional magnetron sputtering and other physical vapor deposition (PVD) techniques have relatively low deposition speed, an insufficiently low degree of ionization of sputtered particles and do not allow for joint sputtering of materials with significantly different sputtering yields. Naco Technologies solved these problems by improving magnetic and cooling systems of the magnetron thus allowing for high electrical power to be applied to the target, increasing speed, ionization and reaching equalization of sputtering rates for different materials.
By using high-speed ion plasma magnetron sputtering, Naco Technologies has been able to create NSC with superior quality and functionality that can meet various industrial needs. Nanostructured smart coatings can be applied to various metal substrates such as steel, aluminum, titanium and these coatings can also be customized according to specific requirements such as temperature range, hardness and functionality. Such versatality makes them the perfect candidate for Green Hydrogen application.
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