The oxidation behaviour of TiAlN based hard coatings with the addition of Cr and/or Y was investigated using scanning electron microscopy, scanning/transmission electron microscopy, energy dispersive X-ray analysis, thermogravimetry and X-ray diffraction. The coatings were deposited using the combined cathodic arc/unbalanced magnetron deposition technique. The main practical application of these films is dry high speed cutting in difficult to cut materials such as AISI A2 steel. Especially in the case of TiAlCrYN coating with an oxynitride and Cr-enriched overcoat, extensive research on the oxidation behaviour was performed and described here. Heat treatments in air between 600-1000°C for different duration were carried out. The Ti[0.44]Al[0.54]Cr[0.02]N coating was used as the starting point for the investigations. The effect of heat on the composition of the interface region was investigated. This region is of utmost importance for the adhesion of the film. In the case of TiAICrN the interface stability was not guaranteed because of diffusion of the substrate elements Cr and Fe to the coating surface after annealing for 1h at 900°C. In comparison, the diffusion of substrate elements Cr and Fe in a ~2.3 mum thick coating of Ti[0.43]Al[0.52]Cr[0.03]Y[0.02]N and of Ti[0.34]Al[0.62]Cr[0.03]Y[0.01]N with overcoat, reached only a distance of ~600nm into the coating. This was achieved by the diffusion of Y to the grain boundaries. Y probably reacted at the same time with inward diffusing O. The diffusion of Y to the boundaries was observed after heat treatment for 1h at 900°C or 10h at 800°C.Ti[0.26]Al[0.26]N/Cr[0.48]N was the coating with the least oxide layer growth after oxidation for 1h at 900°C. An oxide layer thickness of only ~100nm was measured. For the TiAICrYN coating with overcoat an oxide layer of 230nm and for TiAICrYN of 430nm formed after 1h at 900°C. TiAlCrN in comparison formed an oxide layer of ~800nm after 1 h at 900°C.The oxide layers formed after 1h at 900°C consisted mainly of an Al[2]O[3] and TiO[2] bi-layer in the case of TiAlCrN and TiAlCrYN. The addition of a Cr-rich oxynitride overcoat led to the formation of a mixture out of Al[2]O[3], Cr[2]O[3] and TiO[2] in the oxide layer. In the case of TiAlN/CrN, a solid solution consisting of Cr[2]O[3] and Al[2]O[3] was observed. In general a stress relief after heat treatment was observed. At the same time the formation of voids along the column boundaries was identified. This was explained with the relaxation and diffusion of defects created during the deposition process. The effect of different substrate materials on the oxidation behaviour was also investigated. It was found that the formation of substrate oxides on the coating surface is very much dependent on the onset point of oxidation of the substrate material itself. The oxidation of substrate material occurred mainly through growth defects and pinholes. In cases where cracks formed during heat treatment of the coating, the formation of oxides out of substrate elements were observed in cracks connecting the substrate with the coating surface. Changing the bias voltage altered the formation of cracks. This research emphasises the importance of Y in the oxidation mechanism of TiAlN based hard coatings. Y blocks the diffusion path along the column boundaries and thus stowed down the diffusion and oxidation process. At the same time the addition of Cr can increase the oxidation resistance considerably, which was observed in the TiAlCrYN coating with and without overcoat.

Increased understanding of the mechanisms that operate in conjunction with the welding of metal surfaces may help to improve existing manufacturing processes, and to enable new products and combinations of materials. The purpose of the project has therefore been to acquire a deeper understanding of what is happening in the bond for steel and for the factors that form the basis for a bond to develop between metals in the production of laminates by pressing. The merge has been done by pressing and the surfaces after the experiments have been studied in detail in the scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and with interferenceprofilometry in Wyko, to provide a greater understanding of the mechanisms that influence the bonding in the interface between metals.   The project was limited to contain the materials Docol 1000, HyTens 1200, Aluminum AA3003 and a commercial steel. The parameters varied in the experiments to study their influence closer are temperature, pressure, heat treatment and pretreatment. This has been implemented by pressing with varying temperature and pressure. The materials have been pressed at room temperature or heated in an oven at 300 or 600 degrees and pressed immediately after the levying. Pretreatment was done by cleaning in acetone followed by either brushing or sandblasting alternatively no pretreatment have been done at all. The result was that the increased pressure and increased temperature increases the chance of joining by pressing. Pressing at slightly elevated temperature (about 100-250 degrees, depending on the material) makes bonding possible for metals which are not joined together at room temperature. Pretreatment by sandblasting gives a rougher and more riddled surface than brushing. At the cracking in the oxide layer at the pressing, wells new clean metal into between the oxides to the surface. When the new material reaches the surface, a joint can be made with the opposite clean material. The clean metal that wells up, then flows in a pattern which presses down the oxide in the material, away from the surface. This is done so more clean material can come to the surface and a finer binding can be obtained.

Case hardened Uddeholm Orvar® Superior (Orvar) has the potential to replace currently used materials in shafts inside transmissions, which would lower the overall weight and thus result in lower fuel consumption while maintaining the necessary mechanical properties. However, previous studies have failed to reliably carburize the steel during the case hardening process. The case contains tempered martensite, which has high wear resistance, hardness, and good fatigue properties, and will be affected by the absence of the additional carbon. The presence of passive oxide layers such as chromia and silica is believed to inhibit the carburization, this by their impact of the adsorption and diffusion. One suggested solution is a preoxidation step before the carburization, to promote the formation of iron oxides which are preferential for carburization due to higher diffusion. To evaluate the impact of preoxidation different times, temperatures, and cooling methods were used and analyzed by LOM, XRD, SEM, and hardness measurements. The results indicate that reliable carburization can be obtained by preoxidation performed at 600 °C for 24 hours followed by immediate case hardening. / Sätthärdat Uddeholm Orvar® Superior (Orvar) har potential att ersätta nuvarande material i drivaxlari växellådor, detta skulle minska vikten och därmed sänka bränslekonsumtionen medan de nödvändiga mekaniska egenskaperna behålls. Tidigare studier har emellertid misslyckats med att tillförlitligt uppkola stålytan under sätthärdningen. Ytan består utav tempererad martensit som har hög slitstyrka, hårdhet, och bra utmattningsegenskaper, och påverkas utav avsaknaden av tillfört kol. Närvaron av passiva oxidskikt som kiseldioxid och kromoxid tros hindra uppkolningen, detta på grund utav deras påverkan på adsorption och diffusion. En föreslagen lösning är ett föroxideringssteg innan sätthärdningen, för att gynna bildandet utav järnoxider vilka är fördelaktiga för uppkolningen på grund utav högre diffusion. För att utvärdera påverkan av föroxideringen användes olika tider, temperaturer, och kylningsmetoder som blev analyserade utav LOM, XRD, SEM, och hårdhetsmätningar. Resultaten indikerar att tillförlitlig uppkolning kan uppnås med föroxideringutförd vid 600 °C i 24 timmar följt utav omedelbar sätthärdning.