Microstructure and properties of CVD coated on gradient cemented carbide with different WC grain size

In this paper, cemented carbides with gradient surface enriched in Co phase and depleted of cubic phases were prepared by one-step vacuum sintering. The gradient cemented carbides of different WC grain size were used as the substrates of CVD coatings. The effects of WC particle size on the formation of gradient layer, microstructure and properties of the gradient cemented carbides were investigated. Besides, the influence of WC grain size and gradient layer on microstructure, growth and adhesion strength of the coatings were studied. The results showed that the thickness of surface gradient layer decreased with increasing WC particle size, which was attributed to the decreased diffusion paths and the increased diffusion distance. The interface between the surface gradient layer and the bulk was disordered due to abnormal grain growth of WC in ultrafine cemented carbide. The microhardness across the direction of the fcc-free (Face Center Cubic Free) surface layer to the bulk were similar in the three gradient cemented carbides, and could be expressed as: from the surface to the inner, the microhardness decreased firstly, then increased sharply around the interface, and subsequently dropped to the bulk level. The coating on the fcc-free surface layer was thicker than that on bulk, and the coating on the substrate with fine-sized WC grains is the thickest. The increase of the WC grain size in the substrate could improve the bonding strength of the coating. Furthermore, the presence of Co-rich layer could improve the bonding strength. However, bonding strength was poor for the grain size of ultrafine.