Study on the growth and wear behavior of the TiAlN-based composite coating deposited on TiCN-based cermets with different binder phase

Abstract The TiAlN-based composite coating was coated on TiCN-based cermets with different binder phase by arc ion plating. The effects of binder phase within cermets substrates on the microstructure, mechanical properties and wear behavior of the composite coating were investigated. The results show that the growth of the composite coating is affected by binder phase in the cermets substrates. With a higher content of Co binder in the cermets, the composite coating grows faster. Ni as a binder phase in the cermets is more favorable for the growth rate of the surface coating. The grain size of the coating on 10%Co-TiCN-based cermets is the finest and the hardness is the highest. The variation of binder phase in the cermets substrates leads to different adhesion strength of the composite coating. The adhesion strength of the composite coating on the 10%Co-TiCN-based cermets is the highest, which is because of the smallest differences in hardness and thermal expansion coefficient for this coating/substrate couple. The wear behavior of composite coating on 10%Co-TiCN-based substrate is dominated by abrasive wear while that on the other cermets with Ni binder or higher content of Co binder is a mixture form of diffusion wear, oxidation wear and abrasive wear.