Effects of High Current Pulsed Electron Beam Irradiation on the Mechanical Properties and Cutting Performance of TiAlN-Coated Tools

Commercial TiAlN-coated carbide tools were post-treated using the high current pulsed electron beam irradiation method. The influence of the energy density of the electron beam on the morphology, phase composition, surface roughness and Vickers hardness were investigated. The higher energy density imposed on TiAlN-coated carbide tools resulted in a flatter and harder modified surface. After the beam irradiation, the XRD diffraction peak intensity of the hardening phase (Ti,Al)N was changed, and the diffraction peak position was shifted; these changes are attributed to the improved microhardness of the irradiated coatings. Investigations on the cutting experiments of turning Ti-6Al-4V alloy showed that the irradiated TiAlN-coated carbide tool exhibited longer cutting life and better wear resistance than those of an unirradiated tool. This improvement is attributed to the combined effect of low surface roughness and high microhardness that resulted from the high current pulse electron beam irradiation.