Improvement in tool life of electroplated diamond tools by Ni-based carbon nanotube composite coatings

- Ni-based CNT composite coatings were applied for improving the grain bonding strength of electroplated diamond tools.
- The effects of the amount of CNTs in the plating bath on the hardness and grain bonding strength of Ni-based CNT composite coatings were evaluated.
- The Vickers hardness of Ni-based CNT composite coatings electroplated in a bath that contained more than 1-g/l CNTs exceeded 500 HV.
- The grain bonding strength can be improved by codepositing CNTs in Ni coatings and was almost 1.3 times in our estimations.
- In the case of the side machining of glass plates, electroplated diamond tools composed of the Ni-based CNT composite coatings had a tool life approximately eight times longer than that of normal tools.