Unveiling effects of Zr alloying on structure and properties of nanocrystalline Cu-Zr films
Nanocrystalline Cu-Zr films with Zr content in the range of 0.3–2.7 at.% were deposited by direct current magnetron sputter deposition. Effects of Zr alloying on the structure, surface, mechanical, and electrical properties were systematically investigated using X-ray diffraction, electron microscop...
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Elsevier
2025-05-01
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| Series: | Materials & Design |
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| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264127525003697 |
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| author | M. Zhadko A. Benediktová R. Čerstvý J. Houška J. Čapek D. Kolenatý J. Minár P. Baroch P. Zeman |
| author_facet | M. Zhadko A. Benediktová R. Čerstvý J. Houška J. Čapek D. Kolenatý J. Minár P. Baroch P. Zeman |
| author_sort | M. Zhadko |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Nanocrystalline Cu-Zr films with Zr content in the range of 0.3–2.7 at.% were deposited by direct current magnetron sputter deposition. Effects of Zr alloying on the structure, surface, mechanical, and electrical properties were systematically investigated using X-ray diffraction, electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, indentation, and the four-point probe method. The experimental results revealed that the Zr content significantly affects the structural and functional characteristics of the films, with the most notable changes observed between 0.3 and ≈1.5 at.% Zr. Beyond this range, further increase in the Zr content results in only minor changes in the microstructure and mechanical properties, while the solubility, electrical resistivity, and surface roughness continue to rise. The alloyed Cu-Zr films exhibit hardness values between 3.2 and 4.2 GPa, exceeding 2.5 GPa measured for the unalloyed Cu film, which is attributed to the combined effect of grain boundary strengthening due to structural refinement and Zr segregation, along with solid solution strengthening. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-aaeb999ec7f7417e9abc90fbff1261a8 |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 0264-1275 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-05-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Materials & Design |
| spelling | doaj-art-aaeb999ec7f7417e9abc90fbff1261a82025-08-20T02:38:30ZengElsevierMaterials & Design0264-12752025-05-0125311394910.1016/j.matdes.2025.113949Unveiling effects of Zr alloying on structure and properties of nanocrystalline Cu-Zr filmsM. Zhadko0A. Benediktová1R. Čerstvý2J. Houška3J. Čapek4D. Kolenatý5J. Minár6P. Baroch7P. Zeman8Department of Physics and NTIS – European Centre of Excellence, University of West Bohemia, Univerzitni 8, 301 00 Plzen, Czech Republic; Corresponding author.Department of Physics and NTIS – European Centre of Excellence, University of West Bohemia, Univerzitni 8, 301 00 Plzen, Czech Republic; New Technologies Research Centre, University of West Bohemia, Univerzitni 8, 301 00 Plzen, Czech RepublicDepartment of Physics and NTIS – European Centre of Excellence, University of West Bohemia, Univerzitni 8, 301 00 Plzen, Czech RepublicDepartment of Physics and NTIS – European Centre of Excellence, University of West Bohemia, Univerzitni 8, 301 00 Plzen, Czech RepublicDepartment of Physics and NTIS – European Centre of Excellence, University of West Bohemia, Univerzitni 8, 301 00 Plzen, Czech RepublicDepartment of Physics and NTIS – European Centre of Excellence, University of West Bohemia, Univerzitni 8, 301 00 Plzen, Czech RepublicNew Technologies Research Centre, University of West Bohemia, Univerzitni 8, 301 00 Plzen, Czech RepublicDepartment of Physics and NTIS – European Centre of Excellence, University of West Bohemia, Univerzitni 8, 301 00 Plzen, Czech RepublicDepartment of Physics and NTIS – European Centre of Excellence, University of West Bohemia, Univerzitni 8, 301 00 Plzen, Czech RepublicNanocrystalline Cu-Zr films with Zr content in the range of 0.3–2.7 at.% were deposited by direct current magnetron sputter deposition. Effects of Zr alloying on the structure, surface, mechanical, and electrical properties were systematically investigated using X-ray diffraction, electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, indentation, and the four-point probe method. The experimental results revealed that the Zr content significantly affects the structural and functional characteristics of the films, with the most notable changes observed between 0.3 and ≈1.5 at.% Zr. Beyond this range, further increase in the Zr content results in only minor changes in the microstructure and mechanical properties, while the solubility, electrical resistivity, and surface roughness continue to rise. The alloyed Cu-Zr films exhibit hardness values between 3.2 and 4.2 GPa, exceeding 2.5 GPa measured for the unalloyed Cu film, which is attributed to the combined effect of grain boundary strengthening due to structural refinement and Zr segregation, along with solid solution strengthening.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264127525003697Cu-ZrFilms and coatingsNanocrystalline alloysSolid solutionGrain refinementMagnetron sputtering |
| spellingShingle | M. Zhadko A. Benediktová R. Čerstvý J. Houška J. Čapek D. Kolenatý J. Minár P. Baroch P. Zeman Unveiling effects of Zr alloying on structure and properties of nanocrystalline Cu-Zr films Materials & Design Cu-Zr Films and coatings Nanocrystalline alloys Solid solution Grain refinement Magnetron sputtering |
| title | Unveiling effects of Zr alloying on structure and properties of nanocrystalline Cu-Zr films |
| title_full | Unveiling effects of Zr alloying on structure and properties of nanocrystalline Cu-Zr films |
| title_fullStr | Unveiling effects of Zr alloying on structure and properties of nanocrystalline Cu-Zr films |
| title_full_unstemmed | Unveiling effects of Zr alloying on structure and properties of nanocrystalline Cu-Zr films |
| title_short | Unveiling effects of Zr alloying on structure and properties of nanocrystalline Cu-Zr films |
| title_sort | unveiling effects of zr alloying on structure and properties of nanocrystalline cu zr films |
| topic | Cu-Zr Films and coatings Nanocrystalline alloys Solid solution Grain refinement Magnetron sputtering |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0264127525003697 |
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