Development of Multilayer Metallic Coatings with Graded Interfaces for Enhanced Wear and Fatigue Resistance in Aerospace Components

Year : 2026 | Volume : 13 | Issue : 02 | Page : 50 67
By

Vinothkumar A.,

P. Balu,

D. Jayabalakrishnan,

G.D. Gayathri,

  1. Research Scholar, Department of Mechanical Engineering, Bharath Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
  2. Associate Professor, Department of Automobile Engineering, Bharath Institute of Higher Education and Research, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
  3. Associate Professor, Department of Mechanical, Chennai Institute of Technology, Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India
  4. Assistant Professor, Department of Chemistry, University College of Engineering, BIT Campus, Anna University, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu, India

Abstract

This study presents a comprehensive investigation into the development and characterization of multilayer metallic coating systems with compositionally graded interfaces, specifically engineered to enhance wear and fatigue resistance in aerospace structural and rotating components. Four coating architectures were systematically designed: (i) CrN/TiAlN bilayer, (ii) TiN/TiAlN/TiAlSiN gradient trilayer, (iii) CrAlN/AlCrN nanolaminate, and (iv) a novel five-layer CrN–TiN–TiAlN–AlCrN–TiAlSiN functionally graded system (FGS). Coatings were deposited via high-power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS) and cathodic arc physical vapor deposition (CA-PVD) on Ti-6Al-4V and Inconel 718 substrates, representative of turbine blades and landing gear components. Advanced characterization using X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), nanoindentation, and tribological pin-on-disk testing was performed under simulated aerospace operational conditions (−40°C to 800°C, dry and lubricated environments). The FGS coating exhibited a peak hardness of 42.3 ± 1.2 GPa, an H/E* ratio of 0.108, and a wear rate of 1.74 × 10⁻¹⁵ m³/N·m reductions of 87% and 63% compared to uncoated Ti-6Al-4V and Inconel 718 substrates, respectively. Fatigue life improvement of 2.4× was recorded for coated specimens under high-cycle fatigue (HCF) loading at 10⁸ cycles. Interface grading suppressed delamination via stress gradient redistribution, confirmed by finite element analysis (FEA). These results establish multilayer FGS coatings as high-performance surface engineering solutions for next-generation aerospace applications.

Keywords: Multilayer metallic coatings, graded interfaces, HiPIMS, wear resistance, fatigue life, aerospace tribology, nanoindentation, TiAlSiN, CrAlN, functionally graded coatings, physical vapor deposition

[This article belongs to Journal of Thin Films, Coating Science Technology & Application ]

How to cite this article: Vinothkumar A., P. Balu, D. Jayabalakrishnan, G.D. Gayathri. Development of Multilayer Metallic Coatings with Graded Interfaces for Enhanced Wear and Fatigue Resistance in Aerospace Components. Journal of Thin Films, Coating Science Technology & Application. 2026; 13(02):50-67.
How to cite this URL: Vinothkumar A., P. Balu, D. Jayabalakrishnan, G.D. Gayathri. Development of Multilayer Metallic Coatings with Graded Interfaces for Enhanced Wear and Fatigue Resistance in Aerospace Components. Journal of Thin Films, Coating Science Technology & Application. 2026; 13(02):50-67. Available from: https://journals.stmjournals.com/jotcsta/article=2026/view=255488

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Regular Issue Subscription Original Research
Volume 13
Issue 02
Received 25/05/2026
Accepted 28/05/2026
Published 19/06/2026
Publication Time 25 Days

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