Abstract: CrCN coatings with different deposition temperatures (150℃、250℃、350℃、450℃) are deposited on 316L stainless steel and single crystal silicon by Multi -Arcion plating technique. Microstructures, mechanical performance and tribological performances in ambient air and water are systematically investigated by XRD, XPS, SEM, nano-indentation and ball-on-disc tribol-meter. The results show that the hardness and modulus increase with the increasing of deposition temperature and reach theclimax with deposition temperature at 450 ℃ and the maximum value at about 24 Gpa and 354 Gpa, respectively. Both the friction coefficients and wear rates of CrCNcoatings in ambient air and water tent to decrease after increasing first and reach the bottom with deposition temperature at 350 ℃. The friction coefficient in ambient airand water are about 0.38 and 0.23, the maximum value of wear rate in ambient air and water are about 1.717 1×10^-6mm³/N▪m and 9.529 7×10^-7mm³/N▪m, respectively. Meanwhile, the friction coefficients and wear rates of CrCN coatings in water are lower than that in ambient air, which is attributed to the good lubrication of waterduring the friction.