Optimising deposition parameters of W-DLC coatings for tool materials of high speed steel and cemented carbide

The paper presents the results of investigations on the selection of optimal deposition parameters for W-DLC coatings produced by pulsed reactive magnetron sputtering in order to obtain the coatings with high adhesion to the high speed steel (HSS) and cemented carbide (HM) substrates. To optimise the deposition parameters for W-DLC coatings Taguchi's method was used. An acetylene flow rate, the substrate bias voltage, the thickness of W-DLC coatings and the thickness of chromium sublayer were selected as deposition parameters and for each of them three levels of values were determined. Adhesion, wear resistance and hardness of coatings were chosen as the criteria for selecting the optimum deposition parameters. The test results showed that all the selected parameters have a significant effect on the adhesion of coatings. The thickness of W-DLC coatings has a very significant effect on the adhesion to HSS substrates and in a case of HM substrates the same effect has the thickness of a chromium sublayer. The wear resistance of coatings increases with an increasing acetylene flow rate and decreases with the increasing substrate bias voltage. High correlation was found between the H/E ratio of coatings and their wear resistance as well as toughness. The W-DLC coating showing the best properties (LC3 ≈ 90 N, kV = 3.8 × 10−7 mm3/Nm) was marked by the nanocomposite structure containing about 40% of nanocrystalline tungsten carbide phase and 60% of amorphous carbon matrix.

► Optimisation of the deposition parameters of W-DLC coatings for tools materials is presented.
► To optimise parameters of the depositing of W-DLC coatings Taguchi method was used.
► Effect of deposition parameters on the adhesion, wear resistance and hardness of the coatings is analysed.
► The correlation between H/E ratio and coatings wear resistance as well as toughness was found.