A series of TiAICN coatings with different carbon contents have been deposited by a reactive sputtering of TiAl target under an environment with a mixture of Ar, N-2 and CH4 gases. Microstructural changes, starting from pure TiAlN and then into TiAICN with the increase of the carbon content, have been clearly demonstrated. This occurrence is due to the carbon atom substitution that results in a small alternation of the interplannar lattice parameter. The coating initially shows a strong preferred (1 1 1) texture in the pure TiAIN but becomes more randomly oriented at the higher carbon contents. Evidence was found for the presence of a free carbon phase, which provides the possibility to accomplish the self-lubricant coating. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.