ENHANCED NUCLEATION AND SMOOTHNESS OF NANOCRYSTALLINE DIAMOND FILMS VIA W-C GRADIENT INTERLAYER

Abstract

CVD diamond coating was deposited on to 13%wt. Co -containing tungsten cemented carbide surfaces using a hot filament chemical vapor deposition (HFCVD) to improve wear properties and performance of WC -13% wt . Co . Prior to the deposition of the diamond films, a W - C gradient intermediate layer had been sputtered on WC -13% wt . Co . The surface and cross-section morphology, phase transformation, and grain size distribution of the samples were investigated by means of field emission scanning electron microscope (SEM), X-ray diffractometer (XRD), and atomic force microscope (AFM), respectively. The results show that W - C gradient intermediate layers can effectively reduce the diffusion of Co in cemented carbide substrates during diamond deposition process, resulting high nucleation density and ultra smooth nanocrystalline diamond films.