Diamond-ceramic composite tool coatings

Abstract

We have developed multilayer composite diamond coatings with improved adhesion and wear resistance on WC(Co) tool substrates. The coatings consist of a first layer of discontinuous diamond crystallites that are anchored to the WC(Co) substrate by an interposing layer of ceramic films. These films consist of TiC, TiN, SiC, Si₃N₄ or WC deposited to provide a conformal coverage on the first layer of diamond. A second or final layer of continuous diamond film is deposited to provide the cutting edge of the tool. The diamond film in the composite layers is deposited by hot filament chemical vapor deposition (HFCVD) and the interposing layer is deposited by laser physical vapor deposition (LPVD). The different parameters associated with the deposition of diamond and interposing layers are optimized to improve the adhesion and wear resistance. We have studied the adhesion characteristics by indentation tests in which the critical load for peeling of the diamond films is determined. Adhesion and wear resistance of the films are also tested using an overlap polishing on diamond paste with 5–6 μm particle size. The diamond and interposing layers in the composite are characterized by scanning electron microscopy and Raman spectroscopy. Results of improvement in adhesion and wear resistance are correlated with the quality of the diamond film and the interposing layer. Better accommodation of thermal stresses and strains in the composite layers has been shown to be responsible for improvement in the adhesion and wear resistance of the composite diamond films.