Ebook: Nanostructured Coatings

Coating of mechanical components requires materials of exceptional hardness. One way to do this is take advantage of the properties of nanostructured materials. This book delivers practical insight into a broad range of fields related to hard coatings, from their deposition and characterization up to the hardening and deformation mechanisms allowing the interpretation of results. In addition to the above-mentioned hardness, this type of coating typically must meet other stringent criteria for mechanical properties such as excellent adhesion to the substrate and very high fracture toughness and other requirements.

The book examines relationships between structure/microstructure and mechanical properties from fundamental concepts, through types of coatings, to characterization techniques.

The authors address current concern among researchers in this field regarding the development of coatings that can satisfy simultaneously all the necessary properties to guarantee successful implementation in real mechanical applications.