APPLICATIVE CHARACTERIZATION OF CATHODIC ARC-DEPOSITED TI-B-N COATINGS

Reactive cathodic are evaporation of a Ti-B alloy with 3.5 at.% boron was applied to deposit Ti-B-N coatings with a resulting boron content of 1 at.%. The discharge behaviour was characterized. The coatings wer e investigated by depth-sensing indentation measurements before and af ter thermal loadings at 700 degrees C under vacuum and under atmospher ic conditions as well as by milling and drilling tests with coated too ls. The results were compared to TiN and (Ti,Al)(C,N) reference system s. The Ti-B-N coatings showed an increased thermal stability in compar ison to TiN and (Ti,Al)(C,N). In the application tests Ti-B-N-coated t ools showed improved performance compared to the (Ti,Al)(C,N)-coated r eference tools. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science S.A.