Hard coatings on cutting tools

Wear-resistant coatings have been formed on cutting tools made of hard alloys by chemical evaporation in a plasma in crossed fields. The microstructure and mechanical properties have been examined. Coatings consisting of Ti - C - N - O and amorphous SiC with various compositions and structures are deposited at comparatively low temperatures (400–600°C). They can be made from cheap raw materials: TiCl₄ and CH₃SiCl₃. Tribological studies have shown that a coated tool is usable for 4–7 times longer than an uncoated one.