The Feasibility of Usage TiN and CrN Barrier Sublayers for Improving the Adhesion of Polycrystalline Diamond Films on WC-Co Hard Alloys

摘要

In the present study, the influence of Chromium nitride (CrN) and Titanium nitride (TiN) sublayers on the adhesion of polycrystalline diamond films applied to WC-Co substrates was investigated. CrN and TiN layers were deposited on WC-Co substrates by magnetron sputtering in Ar/N_2 atmosphere. Synthesis of diamond films was conducted in an AC abnormal glow discharge CVD reactor. The phase composition of the films was characterized by small-angle X-ray diffraction (XRD). The adhesion of diamond films was compared by analysis of Rockwell indentation imprints. It was found that TiN does not react with the carbon of the diamond film while CrN almost completely converted into chromium carbide (Cr_3C_2). Adhesion tests showed that the efficiency of these sublayers usage is substantially lower than using a Murakami and HNO_3/H_2O pretreatment.