Data on the effect of structure, elemental and phase composition gradient of nitride multilayer coatings on corrosion protection of different substrates in 3% NaCl and 5% NaOH solutions

The single-layer nitride coatings (TiN; ZrN; (Ti,Zr)N; (Ti,Al)N; (Ti,Zr,Al)N) were deposited by DC magnetron sputtering (MS), cathodic arc evaporation (CAE), pulsed magnetron sputtering (PMS), and combined methods (CAE + MS and CAE + PMS). During the single-layer coating deposition period, only one of the technological parameters was changed: evaporator arc current (I(arc) = 75–80 A), magnetron discharge power (N = 1.5–9.0 kW), bias voltage on the substrate (U(bias) = 40–200 V), partial pressure of the gas mixture of nitrogen and argon (P = 0.24–1.4 Pa), the nitrogen content in the gas mixture (N(2) = 12–100%) and the duration of the coating deposition (T(c) = 5–45 min). The single-layer nanostructured coatings with preset structure, elemental and phase composition were obtained after optimization of deposition technological parameters. The failure pattern and surface morphology, grain size and coating thickness of single-layer and multi-layer coatings were examined using the field emission electron microscope Ultra 55 with EDAX microanalyzer. To determine metal concentration in the coatings, a local chemical analysis was carried out by EDAX microanalyzer. The corrosion behavior of the single-layer two-, three- and multicomponent nitride coatings on the hard alloy, tool steel, and low carbon steel in the 5% NaOH and 3% NaCl was evaluated employing electrochemical techniques such as electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and polarization curves. Multilayer nitride coatings were developed on the basis of single-layer coatings with a maximum protective effect in the 5% NaOH and 3% NaCl. The data of phase and elemental composition, and corrosion properties of single layer nitride coatings was presented in detail.