Hybrid technology combining electrospark alloying, cathodic arc evaporation and magnetron sputtering for hard wear-resistant coating deposition

Abstract

The novel technology of multilayer coating deposition combining electric-spark alloying (ESA), pulsed arc evaporation (PAE), and magnetron sputtering (MS) in one vacuum process is presented. Layers can be deposited using a single electrode material at operating pressures from 0,1 Pa to atmospheric pressure. The lower ESA layer provides increased substrate toughness, perfect adhesion and a relatively high (up to 100 μm) coating thickness. The upper PAE or MS layer up to 10 μm in thickness provides high mechanical and tribological characteristics. The technology of double-layer PAE–ESA and MS–ESA coating deposition was tested on substrates made of structural and tool steels, titanium alloys using electrodes of cemented carbides (WC–Co, TiCNiAl) and carbon (low-porous graphite).