The influence of nonstoichiometry on elastic characteristics of metastable $\beta$-WC$_{1-x}$ phase in ion plasma condensates

The dependence of elastic moduli for different directions on the nonstoichiometry with respect to carbon atoms in octahedral interstices of face-centered cubic crystalline lattice is established for the first time for metastable tungsten carbide ($\beta$-WC$_{1-x}$ phase). It is shown that with decreasing content of carbon atoms in the tungsten carbide lattice it is compressed, which is accompanied by the growth of the contribution of metallic component, thus determining higher density of the coating material and change of elastic characteristics for different crystallographic directions. This makes it possible to obtain carbide coatings with the required ratio of elastic constants via corresponding technological regimes, which is especially important in formation of coatings with predominant crystallite growth orientation.