Microstructure, oxidation behavior and tribological properties of AlCrN/Cu coatings deposited by a hybrid PVD technique

•AlCrN/Cu coatings were deposited combining cathodic arc evaporation and magnetron sputtering.•Epitaxial growth of Cu sublayers on AlCrN achieves a hardness greater than 30 GPa.•Excessive Cu-incorporation causes the disintegration of the multilayered structure.•Temperate CuO oxide with fine grain size contributes to decreased friction coefficients.•Severe oxidation related to Cu-content leads to inferior tribological properties.