Deposition and wear resistance of composite TiBC-SiC coatings on Si wafer by thermal plasma CVD

Composite TiBC-SiC film coatings with various contents of SiC were deposited on Si wafer at 800°C from a mixed solution of titanium tetra-ethoxide, boron tri-ethoxide and/or hexa-methyl-disiloxane by an Ar/H ₂ thermal plasma CVD. The crystalline phases (TiB₂, TiC, SiC) in the coatings are identified by thin film grazing incidence X-ray diffraction. The surfaces and cross-sections of the monolithic TiBC and SiC and composite TiBC-SiC coatings are observed by scanning electron microscopy. The microstructure of a cross-section of composite TiBC-55 mol% SiC film is observed by transmission electron microscopy with EDX analysis. The wear rates of the composite TiBC-SiC film are evaluated from cross-sectional profiles of the residual wear tracks formed by ball-on-disk wear tests using SUS and alumina balls with their results correlated with the SiC content and film hardness.