Microstructure,oxidation resistance and tribological properties of arc ion plated AlTiCN and AlTiCrN coatings at high temperature

Abstract

AlTiCN and AlTiCrN coatings were deposited on Ti₆Al₄V alloy (TA) using an arc ion plating, and their friction behaviour at high temperature was evaluated using a wear tester, which was used to investigate the oxidation resistance and tribological performance. The results indicate that the AlTiCN coating exhibits lower roughness and higher nanohardness compared with the AlTiCrN coating. The AlTiCN coating has better oxidation resistance compared with the AlTiCrN coating, which is attributed to the amorphous C in the coating. The average coefficients of friction of AlTiCN and AlTiCrN coatings are 0.287 ± 0.02 and 0.379 ± 0.03, respectively, and the corresponding wear rates are 1.75 ± 0.2 and 7.17 ± 0.7 μm³·N⁻¹·mm⁻¹, respectively, demonstrating the superior tribological performance. The dominant wear mechanism is abrasive wear, accompanied by oxidative and fatigue wear, where the high hardness of nitrides and oxides plays a crucial role in resisting wear loss.

Keywords

Arc ion plating AlTiCN coating AlTiCrN coating mechanical property oxidation behaviour tribological performance

Introduction

As a type of hard coating system, AlTiN-based coatings have attracted significant attention from researchers due to their widespread use in industrial applications such as cutting tools and molds.¹ However, the traditional AlTiN coating often exhibits limitations in simultaneously achieving high hardness, wear resistance and thermal stability, which restricts their performance in modern high-demand industrial environments.²

Currently, the performance improvement of nitride coatings has become a major research focus, and scholars have explored the incorporation of elements into the AlTiN-based systems. Previous studies have demonstrated that adding elements such as carbon (C)³ and chromium (Cr)⁴ can enhance the coating performance. Specifically, the addition of C contributes to the friction reduction and provides the self-lubricating effect,⁵ which helps prevent the crack propagation along the grain boundaries.⁶ Moreover, the addition of Cr can suppress the formation and diffusion of the AlN phase and slow down the development of the detrimental wurtzite phase.⁷ Therefore, the additions of C and Cr into TiAlN coating are considered a promising strategy for the tribological applications, offering excellent friction reduction and wear-resistant properties.^8,9 Recent studies have demonstrated that the chromium carbide layers fabricated by thermo-reactive diffusion processes can effectively enhance the wear performance of tool steels through the formation of dense and well-adhered carbide phases.

In recent years, the addition of C into AlTiN coating has led to the formation of AlTiCN coating that integrates the benefits of TiN and TiC, resulting in improved hardness and toughness.¹⁰ Compared with the AlTiN coating, the AlTiCN coating exhibits higher hardness and lower coefficient of friction (COF), making it suitable for tribological applications.⁵ Similarly, the AlTiCrN coating combines the strengths of AlCrN and AlTiN coatings, and the formation of a dense oxide layer at elevated temperatures that reduces the oxidation rates, offering excellent hardness and wear resistance.¹¹ Furthermore, the formation of a dense oxide layer at elevated temperatures serves as a barrier to the oxygen (O) diffusion, reducing the oxidation rate and improving oxidation resistance.¹²

Research on the tribological performance of AlTiCN and AlTiCrN coatings has primarily concentrated on enhancing their hardness, wear resistance and oxidation resistance,^13,14 where the chromium carbide phase improves the tribological performance through the dense carbide formation and strong interfacial bonding.¹⁵ The existing studies often treat these properties independently, lacking the technical discussion linking microstructural features and performance outcomes.^1,16 The common fabrication techniques for the AlTiCrN and AlTiCN coatings include multi-arc ion plating, cathodic arc plating, magnetron sputtering and arc ion plating (AIP).^17–20 Among these, the AIP, a representative physical vapour deposition method, has gained considerable attention due to its advantages, such as strong coating adhesion and the ability to produce uniform and dense microstructures.^21–22 However, the comprehensive comparative studies on the high-temperature behaviour of AlTiCN and AlTiCrN coatings remain limited, and the wear mechanisms are also unclear.

In this study, AlTiCN and AlTiCrN coatings were fabricated on Ti₆Al₄V alloy (TA) using an AIP, and the objective was to conduct a comparative investigation of their tribological behaviour at high temperature. The underlying wear mechanisms were also revealed by the combination of COF and wear rate, and the insights into the thermal stability and friction reduction capabilities of AlTiCN and AlTiCrN coatings were investigated, contributing to their potential application in demanding tribological conditions such as aerospace, automotive and high-speed machining industries.

Experimental procedures

Sample preparations

The TA substrates, consisting of Ti (90 wt.%), Al (6 wt.%) and V (4 wt.%), were mechanically ground using SiC paper and subsequently mirror-polished with the 0.5 μm diamond paste to achieve a smooth surface. Prior to the coating deposition, all substrates were ultrasonically cleaned in acetone and ethanol for 10 min, and then dried in hot air, and then stored in the vacuum oven. The AlTiCN and AlTiCrN coatings were deposited using a custom-designed multi-AIP system, and the TiAl and TiAlCr targets were employed for the AlTiCN and AlTiCrN coatings, respectively, where the base vacuum pressure before the deposition process was maintained below 5 × 10⁻³ Pa. For the AlTiCN coating, the deposition was conducted at the substrate temperature of 450 °C, bias voltage of −24 V, arc current of 100 A, nitrogen (N₂) flow rate of 30 sccm and acetylene (C₂H₂) flow rate of 10 sccm. The total chamber pressure during the deposition process was ∼3.5 Pa. Similarly, the AlTiCrN coating was deposited under similar conditions with the substrate bias voltage of −70 V while keeping the N₂ flow rate, arc current and substrate temperature as the same of the AlTiCN coating. After the deposition process, the coatings were cooled to room temperature in a vacuum to avoid oxidation.

Characterisation methods

The surface morphologies and elemental distributions of AlTiCN and AlTiCrN coatings were characterised using a QUANTA FEG-450 type field-emission scanning electron microscope (FE-SEM) equipped with energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), and the surface roughness was evaluated using a CSPM5500 type atomic force microscope (AFM). The nanomechanical properties were measured using a U9820A G200 type nanoindentation tester, and the curvature radius of the Berkovich diamond tip was 60 nm.

Oxidation and tribological tests

The friction and wear behaviours of AlTiCN and AlTiCrN coatings were evaluated using an HT-1000 type ball-on-disk tribometer, which was conducted at 500 °C with the Si₃N₄ ball as the tribo-pair, while the coatings served as the rotating disk. During the wear process, the disk was rotated, and the ball remained stationary. The experimental parameters included rotational speed of 500 r·min⁻¹, rotation radius of 2 mm and test duration of 30 min. The normal load of 3 N was applied, resulting in the maximal Hertzian contact pressure of 0.03 GPa according to the Hertz contact theory. Each wear test was repeated three times under identical conditions to ensure reproducibility, and the reported values represented the mean with the standard deviation. After the wear test, the oxidation resistance of AlTiCN and AlTiCrN coatings was evaluated using a FE-SEM and EDS, which revealed their thermal stability.²³

Following the test, the wear track profiles were measured using a VHX-700FC type super-depth field microscope, and the morphologies and elemental distributions were analysed using a FE-SEM and EDS, respectively. In this case, the wear rate was

W = \frac{V}{F \times L}

(1)

where V represented the wear volume/µm³; F was the applied normal load/N; and L denoted the total sliding distance/mm.

Results and discussion

Coating characteristics

Mapping analysis of coating cross-sections

Figure 1(a) presents the elemental mapping analysis of the AlTiCN coating cross-section with a thickness of 1.17 ± 0.1 µm. The coating was strongly bonded to the substrate, and no delamination was observed at the interface. The mapping results revealed that the Al and N were uniformly distributed throughout the coating cross-section, while the C did not exhibit any distinct enrichment regions. The Ti content on the coating cross-section was lower than that on the substrate cross-section, which was attributed to the inherently high Ti concentration of the substrate. This elemental distribution suggested the diffusion tendency of Ti from the high-concentration regions to the low-concentration regions, which contributed to enhancing the coating–substrate bonding force.

Figure 1.

Mapping images of AlTiCN (a) and AlTiCrN (b) coating cross-sections.

Figure 1(b) presents the elemental mapping analysis of the AlTiCN coating cross-section with a thickness of 1.09 ± 0.1 µm. The Al, Cr and N were enriched on the coating cross-section with the uniform elemental distributions, which were primarily concentrated on the coating cross-section. The distributions of chemical elements were uniform on the coating cross-section, and the diffusion phenomena of Ti, C, N and Al occurred at the coating interface, forming the metallurgical bonding with the substrate.

AFM images

The AFM measurements were conducted over three randomly selected surface regions (5 × 5 μm²) for each coating to ensure the statistical reliability, and the corresponding amplitude parameters are summarised in Table 1. The AlTiCN and AlTiCrN coatings exhibited dense and compact surfaces with uniformly distributed particles, as shown in Figure 2. The abnormally grown particles on the AlTiCN surface (Figure 2(a)) were identified as the graphite phase particles, which were associated with the complex plasma interactions during the AIP process. The coexistence and competitive growth between the amorphous carbon and the ceramic nitride phases influenced the surface topographies, resulting in a smoother and more uniform surface for the AlTiCN coating. In contrast, the AFM image of the AlTiCrN coating (Figure 2(b)) revealed the typical columnar grains with the larger particle sizes, corresponding to the higher surface roughness (R_a of 32 nm) compared with the AlTiCN coating (R_a of 16 nm). The increase of roughness was attributed to the higher density of microparticles and the generation of droplet phases, as the addition of Cr altered the plasma characteristics and enhanced the droplet ejection from the cathode.²⁴ Consequently, the AlTiCrN coating exhibited the rougher topography, while the AlTiCN coating showed the smoother and denser surface due to the grain-refining effect of C.

Figure 2.

AFM images of AlTiCN (a) and AlTiCrN (b) coating surfaces.

Table 1.

Amplitude parameters of AlTiCN and AlTiCrN coating surfaces.

Coating kind	Average roughness R_a/nm	Root mean square S_q/nm	Surface skewness S_sk	Surface kurtosis S_ku	Peak-peak S_y/nm	Ten point height Sz/nm
AlTiCN coating	16	32.3	5.87	118	1130	1090
AlTiCrN coating	32	45.9	0.486	12.2	907	830

As shown in Table 1, the AlTiCN coating exhibited a lower R_a and S_q compared to the AlTiCrN coating, indicating a smoother surface and more uniform roughness distribution. It was suggested that the AlTiCN coating had the finer surface topography, which contributes to the enhanced wear resistance and more stable friction behaviour.

XRD patterns

Figure 3 shows the XRD patterns of AlTiCN and AlTiCrN coatings. For the AlTiCN coating, the main peaks corresponded to the Ti, TiN, AlN and Al₄C₃ phases, indicating the coexistence of cubic TiN, hexagonal AlN and Al₄C₃. The presence of multiple Ti peaks suggested the partially unreacted metallic Ti phase, which contributed to the overall hardness and toughness of coatings. In contrast, the AlTiCrN coating exhibited peaks corresponding to the Ti, TiN, AlN and Cr₂N phases, demonstrating the incorporation of Cr into the nitride lattice. Compared with the AlTiCN coating, the AlTiCrN coating showed the distinct Cr₂N peaks at 37–38 and 73–74°, confirming the formation of chromium nitride on the coating. Moreover, no obvious peak of Al₄C₃ was observed, suggesting that the introduction of Cr stabilised the nitride phases and suppressed the carbide formation.

Figure 3.

Patterns s of AlTiCN and AlTiCrN coatings.

Nanoindentation analysis

The mechanical properties played a crucial role in determining the friction and wear behaviour of coatings, and the nanoindentation testing was used to evaluate the nanohardness and elastic modulus. Figure 4(a) displays the load-displacement into the coating surfaces on the AlTiCN and AlTiCrN coatings during the loading-unloading process, where P_am/P_bm h_am/h_am and h_af/h_af were represented as the maximal deformation load, maximal deformation displacement, and unloading displacement for the AlTiCN and AlTiCrN coatings, respectively; S_a1 and S_b1 were expressed as the energy dissipations ( $Δ$ W) of CrN and CrAlN coatings during the loading process, respectively; while S_a2 and S_b2 were expressed as the elastic recovery energy (W_e) of AlTiCN and AlTiCrN coatings during the unloading process, respectively.²⁵ The average nanohardness and elastic modulus of AlTiCN coating were 27.88 and 320.50 GPa, respectively; while those of AlTiCrN coating were 24.03 and 315.30 GPa, respectively, as displayed in Figure 4(b) and (c). In this case, the AlTiCN coating exhibited the higher nanohardness and elastic modulus compared to the AlTiCrN coating, indicating the superior mechanical properties.²⁶

Figure 4.

Load (a), nanohardness (b) and elastic moduli (c) of AlTiCN and AlTiCrN (b) coatings versus displacement into coating surface.

Oxidation performances

Figure 5(a) displays the surface morphology and elemental mapping analysis of the AlTiCN coating. The minor surface inhomogeneities were observed in the form of crystalline particles, indicating the localised structural variation. The mapping result further suggested that the surface deformation was mainly influenced by the C addition²⁷ and the crystalline feature was attributed to the deposition process and surface tensile stresses.^28,29 In this case, the elemental mapping confirmed the homogeneous distributions of Al, Ti, C, N and O on the coating.

Figure 5.

Mapping analysis of AlTiCN (a) and AlTiCrN (b) coating surfaces after oxidation test.

Figure 5(b) presents the surface morphology and elemental mapping analysis of the AlTiCrN coating. Compared with the AlTiCN coating, the AlTiCrN surface exhibited larger particle sizes, and the mapping result showed that the Ti, Al and Cr were more prominently distributed than the N and O due to the higher electrical conductivity of metallic elements relative to non-metals.²⁴ The presence of O on the surface was caused by the oxidation. Furthermore, the overall elemental distributions remained uniform, suggesting that the presence of surface particles had minimal influence on the elemental homogeneity.

To further clarify the oxidation behaviour of coatings at 500 °C, the Gibbs free energy (ΔG) of the main oxidation reactions was calculated as follows:

4 A l + 3 O_{2} \to A l_{2} O_{3}, Δ G \approx – 1150 k J / m o l O_{2}

(2)

T i + O_{2} \to T i O_{2}, Δ G \approx – 860 k J / m o l O_{2}

(3)

C + O 2 \to C O_{2}, Δ G \approx – 395 k J / m o l O_{2},

(4)

4 C r + 3 O_{2} \to 2 C r_{2} O_{3}, Δ G \approx – 560 k J / m o l O_{2},

(5)

The negative ΔG values (equations (2) to (5)) indicated that the oxidation reactions were thermodynamically spontaneous at 500 °C. Among them, the oxidations of Al and Cr were the most favourable, suggesting that the Al₂O₃ and Cr₂O₃ were the primary stable oxides on the coating surfaces, contributing to the dense protective oxide layer and enhancing the oxidation resistance.

Tribological performances

COFs and wear rates

Figure 6(a) displays the COFs of AlTiCN and AlTiCrN coatings versus sliding time, where the error bars represent the standard deviation calculated from three independent tests. The COF curve of AlTiCN coating exhibited a sharp increase during the initial running-in (RI) period, which was attributed to its lower surface roughness and the continuous transfer of wear debris to the edges of the wear track. As the contact between the coating and the counterpart was stabilised, the COF was gradually decreased and entered the stable wear (SW) period. In this case, the COF curve of the AlTiCrN coating exhibited two distinct peaks: (1) the surface asperities and microstructural irregularities were flattened in the first peak, leading to the increased adhesive friction; (2) the second peak appeared slightly later, which was associated with the tribochemical reactions. After the second peak, the COFs were gradually stabilised, indicating the transition to the steady-state wear, reflecting the combined effect of mechanical adaptation and surface chemical evolution during the sliding wear process. In this case, the COF curve of AlTiCrN coating exhibited two distinct peaks, which was because (1) the surface asperities and microstructural irregularities were flattened in the first peak, leading to the increased adhesive friction; and (2) the second peak appeared slightly later, which was associated with the tribochemical reactions. After the second peak, the COFs were gradually stabilised, indicating the transition to the steady-state wear, reflecting the combined effect of mechanical adaptation and surface chemical evolution during the sliding wear process. The average COFs of AlTiCN and AlTiCrN coatings were 0.287 ± 0.02 and 0.379 ± 0.03, respectively, showing that the AlTiCN coating had superior friction reduction compared with the AlTiCrN coating.

Figure 6.

COFs versus sliding time (a), profiles of wear tracks (b) and wear rates of AlTiCN and AlTiCrN coatings.

The wear rate was a key parameter for evaluating the wear resistance of coatings, and the 3D contour curve was used to analyse the wear track profile, and the cross-sectional area of the wear track was measured to calculate the wear rate. As shown in Figure 6(b), the wear depth and width of the AlTiCN coating were notably smaller than those of the AlTiCrN coating. The cross-sectional regions of wear tracks on the AlTiCN and AlTiCrN coatings were 78.56 and 322.50 μm², respectively, showing that the wear resistance of the AlTiCN coating was higher than that of the AlTiCrN coating.

Figure 6(c) illustrates the wear rates of AlTiCN and AlTiCrN coatings, where the corresponding error bars reflect the experimental scatter from the repeated measurements. The wear rates of AlTiCN and AlTiCrN coatings were 1.75 ± 0.2 and 7.17 ± 0.7 μm³·N⁻¹·mm⁻¹, respectively, indicating that the AlTiCN coating exhibited the lower wear rate. This enhanced wear resistance was attributed to the formation of oxide layers adhered to the wear track, which acted as a protective barrier against further wear loss.³⁰

OM images of tribo-pairs

A large amount of wear debris was generated during the wear process, accumulating and acting as the source of three-body abrasion, as shown in Figure 7. The chord lengths of wear tracks for the tribo-pairs against the AlTiCN and AlTiCrN coatings were 750 μm (Figure 7(a)) and 725 μm (Figure 7(b)), respectively, with corresponding wear volumes of 6.43 × 10⁶ and 5.38 × 10⁶ μm³, respectively. These results further confirmed that the AlTiCN coating exhibited superior wear resistance compared with the AlTiCrN coating, which was consistent with the measurements of wear rates.

Figure 7.

OM of tribo-pairs against AlTiCN (a) and AlTiCrN (b) coatings.

OM images of wear tracks

The OM images were used to illustrate the wear degree of AlTiCN and AlTiCrN coatings, as shown in Figure 8. The wear track on the AlTiCN coating (Figure 8(a)) was relatively smooth, and shallow plow grooves were observed, indicating that the wear mechanism was primarily abrasive wear. In this case, the wear track underwent the oxidation reaction, and the formed oxide layer was prone to detachment during the wear process. The oxidation wear was one of the wear mechanisms under the dry-friction condition. Moreover, the coating was subjected to periodic stress, leading to the formation and propagation of microcracks, resulting in the coating detachment. Therefore, the fatigue wear was also one of the wear mechanisms during the wear process.

Figure 8.

OM images of wear tracks on AlTiCN (a) and AlTiCrN (b) coatings.

The scratches on the wear track of the AlTiCrN coating indicated that the wear degree was worse compared with the AlTiCN coating (Figure 8(b)), which was the characteristic of abrasive wear. The Cr in the coating had a high affinity for the O and readily formed the oxides during the wear process, which increased the surface roughness and promoted the oxidative wear of the AlTiCrN coating.³¹ Moreover, the peeling was observed on the wear track due to cyclic stress, which was typical fatigue wear.

SEM images of wear tracks

The SEM images of the wear track on the AlTiCN coating are shown in Figure 9(a). Several tongue-like structured delamination on the worn surfaces represented the adhesive mechanism, and the wear degree of the AlTiCN coating was less compared with the AlTiCrN coating (Figure 9(b)), showing the enhanced anti-wear performance. After the coating was detached, the debris was adhered to the wear track, which was the reason for the COF fluctuation. The delamination and abrasion were considered as the prevailing wear mechanisms, which were composed of adhesive wear and abrasive wear. The accumulation of wear debris on the wear track contributed to the fluctuations of COF, and the formed grooves reflected the wear resistance of coatings. Additionally, the AlTiCN coating exhibited a finer grain size, which also played a significant role in influencing its tribological performance.³²

Figure 9.

SEM images of wear tracks on AlTiCN (a) and AlTiCrN (b) coatings.

Mapping analysis of wear tracks

To further clarify the wear behaviour of coatings, the elemental distribution on the wear track was examined using EDS mapping. Figure 10(a) presents the elemental mapping of the wear track on the AlTiCN coating. The elements on the wear track of the AlTiCN coating were uniformly distributed, and the wear scars appeared shallow. The detected O on the worn surface resulted from the oxidation wear during the sliding-wear process, without evidence of element-rich regions. The Ti, Al, C, N and O were all presented, but the Ti did not present the localised enrichment, indicating that the wear track remained intact. The absence of O accumulation suggested minimal oxidation wear. Furthermore, no noticeable debris or material adhesion was observed on the grooves, implying that the adhesive wear was the dominant mechanism.

Figure 10.

Image mapping analysis of wear track on AlTiCN (a) and AlTiCrN (b) coating after wear test.

Figure 10(b) presents the elemental mapping of the wear track of the AlTiCrN coating. The Al, Cr and N exhibited the atom-deficient regions, while the Ti and O were enriched, indicating that the adhesive wear was accompanied by the oxidative wear.³³ The depletion of Ni on the wear track suggested that the oxide layers were generated through the tribo-chemical reactions,⁴ which was the characteristic of the tribo-oxidation mechanism. The oxide layers were primarily composed of dense Cr₂O₃ and Al₂O₃, which contributed to the formation of a low-friction tribo-layer. The oxides were mainly concentrated on the adhesive regions, where their high content implied the direct contact between the wear track and the counterpart, leading to the oxidation wear. Both ploughing and adhesion features were observed on the wear track, confirming the coexistence of adhesive wear and abrasive wear mechanisms.

Discussion

The tribological performances of AlTiCN and AlTiCrN coatings exhibited clear differences under the high-temperature sliding wear condition (Figure 6), and the AlTiCN coating demonstrated the lower average COF and wear rate; whereas the AlTiCrN coating exhibited the higher COF and wear rate, indicating that the AlTiCN coating had the superior tribological performance compared with the AlTiCrN coating. Furthermore, the wear track of AlTiCN coating was relatively shallow and smooth with few grooves or delamination zones; while the AlTiCrN coating showed deeper grooves, more debris accumulation and localised material spalling, suggesting that the wear degree was severe. In these cases, the excellent friction reduction and wear resistance of AlTiCN coating was attributed to the factors as follows: (1) the higher hardness and dense microstructure provided the strong resistance against the abrasive wear³⁴; (2) the presence of amorphous C in the coating acted as the solid lubricant, reducing the adhesive interactions at the sliding interface³⁵; and (3) the uniform distribution of hard ceramic phases contributed to the improved load-bearing capacity and suppressed the crack initiation and propagation along the grain boundaries.³⁶

In contrast, the AlTiCrN coating exhibited relatively high hardness and oxidation resistance, forming a less uniform tribo-oxide layer at high temperature.³⁷ The Cr-rich oxide partially protected the coating surface, but did not provide the same lubricating effect as the amorphous C in the AlTiCN coating. As a result, the AlTiCrN coating was more susceptible to the combined abrasive wear and fatigue wear, leading to higher material removal and rougher wear tracks.

Overall, the observed differences indicated that the C in the AlTiCN coating enhanced the friction reduction and wear resistance through the synergistic effects of microstructural densification, solid lubrication and mechanical reinforcement.³⁸ In contrast, the Cr addition in the AlTiCrN mainly improved the high temperature oxidation resistance but did not significantly reduce the friction, highlighting the distinct tribological mechanisms between the two kinds of coatings.

Conclusions

The AlTiCN coating exhibits higher mechanical properties with the nanohardness of 27.99 GPa and elastic modulus of 320.5 GPa, surpassing those of the AlTiCrN coating. Moreover, the Al, Ti, C (Cr) and N are uniformly distributed on the AlTiCN and AlTiCrN coating cross-sections, and their corresponding surface roughness is 16 and 32 nm, respectively.

The oxidation resistance of the AlTiCrN coating is superior to that of the TiAlCN coating, which is attributed to the Cr element inhibiting the O diffusion through the O-rich layer of Cr.

The average COF and wear rate of AlTiCN coatings are lower than those of AlTiCrN coatings, indicating that the AlTiCN coating has better friction reduction and wear resistance.

The dominant wear mechanisms of AlTiCN and AlTiCrN coatings are abrasive wear, accompanied by oxidative and fatigue wear, which are attributed to the high hardness of nitrides and the formation of oxide phases under the drying-sliding wear condition.

Footnotes

ORCID iD

Kong Dejun

Funding

The authors received no financial support for the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Declaration of conflicting interests

The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, and/or publication of this article.

Data availability

Data will be made available on request.

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