Investigation of performance and cutting properties of carbide tool with nanostructured multilayer Zr-ZrN-(Zr0.5,Cr0.3,Al0.2)N coating

Abstract

The study involved the investigation of the properties of the cutting tool with nanostructured multilayer Zr-ZrN-(Zr0.50,Cr0.30,Al0.20) N coating, deposited using the technology of filtered cathodic vacuum arc deposition (FCVAD). The scratch-test method was applied to study the coating failure pattern. The microstructure and nanostructure of the samples were analyzed with a high-resolution transmission electron microscope (TEM) and a scanning electron microscope (SEM). The X-ray diffraction analysis (XRD) was performed with a diffractometer with CuKα radiation. A special experimental method was used to determine the adhesion (molecular) component of the coefficient of friction (COF) fM within a range of temperatures of 450–950 °C. The results of the cutting tests in turning steel AISI 1045 demonstrated a significantly higher wear resistance of the tool with the coating under study compared to the tool with the reference ZrN monolayer coating (the tool life parameter was two times higher). The study also involved the investigation of the failure and wear pattern of a tool with the coating under study in turning and the investigation of the diffusion and oxidation processes. It was found that the coating under study was characterized by the combination of high hardness and wear resistance with good plasticity and resistance to brittle fracture. This combination of the properties makes it possible to effectively apply the coating to improve the tool life of a cutting tool.