Physical and chemical aspects of the study of clusters, nanostructures and nanomaterials. Founded at 2009

Phase formation in the Nb-Cu-Ti system formed on a substrate by vacuum-arc plasma-assisted method

N.A. Prokopenko1, E.A. Petrikova1, O.S. Tolkachev1, A.A. Klopotov2, Yu..F. Ivanov1

1 Institute of High- Current Electronics of the Siberian Branch of the RAS
2 Tomsk State University of Architecture and Building

DOI: 10.26456/pcascnn/2025.17.135

Original article

Abstract: Multilayer systems including interfaces between different metals are considered to be a new family of materials with a wide range of applications (electronic devices, materials for aerospace and nuclear installations, where exceptional mechanical, electrical and thermal properties are required under conditions of high deformation and high-temperature thermal cycling). The aim of this work was to study the elemental and phase composition, substructure, mechanical, and tribological properties of binary (Nb – Cu) doped with titanium atoms films formed on a solid substrate by the vacuum-arc plasma-assisted method. Experiments on the deposition of thin films and coatings were carried out on the ion-plasma setup «KVINTA» developed in the Laboratory of Plasma Emission Electronics of the Institute of High-Current Electronics of the Siberian Branch of the RAS. It is shown that during the formation of the Nb – Cu films, they are doped with titanium atoms entering as a result of diffusion from the substrate (Grade 2). It was established that the films are a layered two-phase (copper and niobium) amorphous-crystalline material. The microhardness of the films is 6,8 GPa, which is many times (more than 5 times) higher than the microhardness of polycrystalline niobium; the wear parameter (the value reciprocal of wear resistance) k = 2,2×10-5 mm3/N∙m, which is 24,6 times less than the wear parameter of pure copper.

Keywords: film/substrate system, vacuum arc plasma-assisted method, phase composition, defect substructure, microhardness, wear resistance

  • Nikita A. Prokopenko – Junior Researcher, Laboratory of Plasma Emission Electronics, Institute of High- Current Electronics of the Siberian Branch of the RAS
  • Elizaveta A. Petrikova – Junior Researcher, Laboratory of Plasma Emission Electronics, Institute of High- Current Electronics of the Siberian Branch of the RAS
  • Oleg S. Tolkachev – Junior Researcher, Laboratory of Plasma Emission Electronics, Institute of High- Current Electronics of the Siberian Branch of the RAS
  • Anatoly A. Klopotov – Dr. Sc., Professor, Department of Applied Mechanics and Materials Science, Tomsk State University of Architecture and Building
  • Yuri F. Ivanov – Dr. Sc., Chief Researcher, Laboratory of Plasma Emission Electronics, Institute of High- Current Electronics of the Siberian Branch of the RAS

For citation:

Prokopenko N.A., Petrikova E.A., Tolkachev O.S., Klopotov A.A., Ivanov Yu..F. Fazoobrazovanie v sisteme Nb-Cu-Ti, sformirovannoj na podlozhke vakuumno-dugovym plazmenno- assistirovannym metodom [Phase formation in the Nb-Cu-Ti system formed on a substrate by vacuum-arc plasma-assisted method], Fiziko-khimicheskie aspekty izucheniya klasterov, nanostruktur i nanomaterialov [Physical and chemical aspects of the study of clusters, nanostructures and nanomaterials], 2025, issue 17, pp. 135-147. DOI: 10.26456/pcascnn/2025.17.135. ⎘

Full article (in Russian): download PDF file

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