Indentation hardness and modulus of electrochemically deposited triple protective-decorative Cu-Ni-Cr system

Abstract

With respect to the corrosion-protective and decorative characteristics of the Cu-Ni-Cr systems the advance of the technology resulted in products covering the required technical and economic norms and indicators. However, the knowledge about the mechanical characteristics such as elastic and plastic properties of the individual layers and the whole multilayered system is still sparse. The objective of this study is to obtain by means of nanoindentation experiments the mechanical characteristics of standard triple Cu-Ni-Cr coating system whose morphology, structure, texture, composition, and the copper-, nickel- and chrome-layer thickness are predefined. A series of nanoindentation tests in vertical direction to the layered coating and in the lateral direction (along a vertical cut) is analyzed to assess the changes of the mechanical properties of the investigated system in depth and along the layer as well as at layer-to-layer and layer-to-substrate interfaces.