Effect of heat treated tungsten interlayer on microcrystalline diamond coatings

WANG Hailong; DING Sheng; MA Li; WEI Qiuping

doi:10.13394/j.cnki.jgszz.2024.0063

Volume 45 Issue 4

Aug. 2025

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WANG Hailong, DING Sheng, MA Li, WEI Qiuping. Effect of heat treated tungsten interlayer on microcrystalline diamond coatings[J]. Diamond & Abrasives Engineering, 2025, 45(4): 448-457. doi: 10.13394/j.cnki.jgszz.2024.0063

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WANG Hailong, DING Sheng, MA Li, WEI Qiuping. Effect of heat treated tungsten interlayer on microcrystalline diamond coatings[J]. Diamond & Abrasives Engineering, 2025, 45(4): 448-457. doi: 10.13394/j.cnki.jgszz.2024.0063

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Effect of heat treated tungsten interlayer on microcrystalline diamond coatings

doi: 10.13394/j.cnki.jgszz.2024.0063

WANG Hailong¹,
DING Sheng²,
MA Li²,
WEI Qiuping^{1, 2
,
,}

1.
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China
2.
State Key Laboratory of Powder Metallurgy, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China

More Information

Received Date: 2024-04-01
Accepted Date: 2024-06-25
Rev Recd Date: 2024-05-23

Available Online: 2024-06-25

Abstract

Abstract

Objectives Microcrystalline diamond coatings have extremely high hardness and excellent wear resistance, but their application field is limited by poor tribological and binding properties. To improve the tribological properties of microcrystalline diamond coatings on cemented carbide substrates, tungsten metal is chosen as the interlayer material, and microscopic texture is constructed by heat treatment on the surface of the tungsten interlayer. Methods The evaporation method is used to deposit a tungsten interlayer on the surface of cemented carbide from which cobalt has been removed by an acid-base two-step method. The tungsten interlayer is then heat-treated in a reducing atmosphere with a certain proportion of argon and hydrogen gas mixture. After heat treatment for 30 minutes at various temperatures (700, 800, 900, 1 000 ℃), the effects of different heat treatment temperatures on the composition, morphology, and microstructure of the tungsten interlayer are studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). Diamond coatings are deposited using the hot filament chemical vapor deposition (HFCVD) method on substrates without any treatment and on tungsten interlayers heat-treated at different temperatures. The substrate temperature is controlled at (800 ± 50) ℃, and the growth time is 6 hours. The morphology and quality of the diamond coatings are analyzed using SEM, X-ray diffraction, and laser Raman spectroscopy. Reciprocating friction and wear tester are conducted using Si₃N₄ ceramic balls against the diamond coatings for 120 minutes to evaluate the friction performance of each coating sample. Results The tungsten interlayer deposited by vapor deposition exhibits an amorphous structure, and its crystallinity significantly increases after heat treatment. Cracks are generated on the surface of the interlayer, forming "island - gully" structures of different sizes. The crystallinity of the tungsten interlayer after heat treatment at 700−800 ℃ is poor, with larger "island" and narrower “gullies” on the surface. The structure of the tungsten interlayer after heat treatment at 900 ℃ was more moderate, while the interlayer after heat treatment at 1 000 ℃ has the best crystallinity and the smallest "islands". SEM surface morphology, XRD patterns, and Raman spectroscopy show that the diamond grown on the substrate surface without a tungsten interlayer has the largest average grain size and uneven grain size distribution. The crystallinity and content of diamond coatings grown on tungsten interlayers after heat treatment are better, as reflected in the higher diffraction intensity of the diamond peak in the XRD spectrum and the narrower full width at half maximum (FWHM) of the diamond peak in the Raman spectrum. The grain size of diamond shows a trend of first decreasing and then increasing with rising heat treatment temperature, but in all cases is smaller than that of the sample without a tungsten interlayer. Rockwell indentation tests are conducted on each diamond-coated sample under a load of 600 N, and the indentation morphology is analyzed using scanning electron microscopy. The indentation results indicates that tungsten interlayers heat-treated at 700 and 800 ℃ do not significantly improve the bonding properties of the diamond coating, with both exhibiting HF6-grade bonding strength. In contrast, heat treatment at 900 and 1 000 ℃ effectively enhances the bonding properties of the diamond coating, with bonding strength grades reaching HF2 and HF1, respectively. The enhancement of bonding strength relies on the crystallinity of the tungsten interlayer and the formation of a good mechanical meshing effect due to the “island-gully” structure. Friction and wear results indicate that the diamond coating grown on the tungsten interlayer after 700 ℃ heat treatment has large drop. The coating grown on tungsten interlayers heat-treated at 800−1 000 ℃ ensures good bonding performance while improving friction performance to varying degrees. Among them, the diamond coating grown on the tungsten interlayer heat-treated at 900 ℃ has the smoothest wear mark, with an average friction coefficient as low as 0.062, and the corresponding Si₃N₄ friction pair has the smallest wear mark diameter and wear rate. Conclusions The tungsten interlayer and its “island-gully” structure after heat treatment can significantly improve the growth and crystal state of diamond, resulting in grain refinement and improved bonding and friction properties. The surface of the tungsten interlayer treated at 900 ℃ for 30 minutes produces a moderately sized “island-gully” structure and the best uniformity. The average grain size of the diamond coating grown on it is about 1.97 μm, with the lowest average friction coefficient, and the corresponding friction pair wear rate is only 19.2% of the sample without a tungsten interlayer. The bonding properties of diamond coating on tungsten interlayer after 1 000 ℃ heat-treated is significantly enhanced.
- diamond coating,
- heat treatment,
- tungsten interlayer,
- grain size,
- bonding properties,
- friction and wear

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References(29)

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