Multi-Layer Coating with Cubic Boron Nitride Particles

• US 20140308511A1
• Filed: 05/29/2012
• Published: 10/16/2014
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2011
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: P&S Global Holdings, LLC
• Original Assignee: NanoMech, Inc., The Board of Trustees of the University of Arkansas (University of Arkansas System)
• Inventors: Jiang, Wenping, Malshe, Ajay P.
• Granted Patent: US 10,639,768 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 428/336
• CPC Class Codes: B23B 2200/081 with projections
• CPC Class Codes: B23B 2200/087 for chip breaking
• CPC Class Codes: B23B 2200/204 with discontinuous cutting edge
• CPC Class Codes: B23B 2200/205 with cutting edge having a wave form
• CPC Class Codes: B23B 2228/10 Coatings
• CPC Class Codes: B23B 27/141 Specially shaped plate-like cutting inserts, i.e. length greater or equal to width, width greater than or equal to thickness with specially shaped plate-like exchangeable cutting inserts, e.g. chip-breaking groove, B23B27/1603; with removable plate-like milling cutting inserts of special shape B23C5/202
• CPC Class Codes: B23B 27/143 characterised by having chip-breakers
• CPC Class Codes: B23B 27/148 Composition of the cutting inserts
• CPC Class Codes: B24D 18/0009 using moulds or presses
• CPC Class Codes: B24D 3/06 metallic or mixture of metals with ceramic materials, e.g. hard metals, "cermets", cements
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3217 Aluminum oxide or oxide forming salts thereof, e.g. bauxite, alpha-alumina
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3843 Titanium carbides
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3856 Carbonitrides, e.g. titanium carbonitride, zirconium carbonitride
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/3886 Refractory metal nitrides, e.g. vanadium nitride, tungsten nitride
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/604 Pressing at temperatures other than sintering temperatures
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/614 Gas infiltration of green bodies or pre-forms
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/665 Local sintering, e.g. laser sintering
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 2235/667 Sintering using wave energy, e.g. microwave sintering
• CPC Class Codes: C04B 35/5831 based on cubic boron nitrides or Wurtzitic boron nitrides, including crystal structure transformation of powder
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 28/044 coatings specially adapted for cutting tools or wear applications
• CPC Class Codes: C23C 30/005 : on hard metal substrates
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 407/24 : with chip breaker, guide or deflector
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 407/27 : comprising tool of specific chemical composition
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/265 : 1 mil or less

Abstract

A physical configuration of multiple-layer coatings formed with at least one layer of coating containing cubic born nitride (cBN) particles with one or more layers in composite form containing cBN particles may have a thickness of each individual layer as thin as in the nanometer range, or as thick as in the range of a few microns and even up to tens of microns. The chemistry of the composite layer consists of any individual phase of (a) nitrides such as titanium nitride (TiN), titanium carbonitride (TiCN), and hafnium nitride (HfN); (b) carbides such as titanium carbide (TiC); and (c) oxides such as aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃) or any combination of the above phases, in addition to cBN particles. The coating or film can be stand-alone or on a substrate.

Claims

1. A multi-layer coated substrate, comprising:

a. a substrate, wherein the substrate comprises a substrate material chosen from the set consisting of carbides, ceramics, polycrystalline cubic boron nitride (PCBN) compacts, PCBN tips, cermets, carbon, and steels;

b. a composite layer comprising cubic boron nitride (cBN) particles and particles comprising a second material, wherein the second material is chosen from the set consisting of nitrides, carbides, carbonitrides, borides, carbon, and oxides; and

c. a ceramic layer adjacent to the composite layer, the ceramic layer comprising a third material chosen from the set consisting of nitrides, carbides, carbonitrides, borides, carbon, and oxides.

2. The multi-layer coated substrate of claim 1, wherein the second material is titanium nitride (TiN).

3. The multi-layer coated substrate of claim 1, wherein the second material is titanium carbonitride (TiCN).

4. The multi-layer coated substrate of claim 1, wherein the second material is aluminum oxide (Al₂O₃).

5. The multi-layer coated substrate of claim 1, wherein the second material is titanium carbide (TiC).

6. The multi-layer coated substrate of claim 1, wherein the second material is hafnium nitride (HfN).

7. The multi-layer coated substrate of claim 1, wherein the second material is hafnium carbonitride (HfCN).

8. The multi-layer coated substrate of claim 1, wherein the second material is zirconium nitride (ZrN).

9. The multi-layer coated substrate of claim 1, wherein the second material is zirconium carbonitride (ZrCN).

10. The multi-layer coated substrate of claim 1, comprising a first and second composite layer each comprising cubic boron nitride (cBN) particles and particles comprising a second material, wherein the second material is chosen from the set consisting of nitrides, carbides, carbonitrides, borides, carbon, and oxides, and wherein the ceramic layer comprises an interfacial layer between the first and second composite layers.

11. The multi-layer coated substrate of claim 1, comprising a first and second composite layer each comprising cubic boron nitride (cBN) particles, wherein the first composite layer comprises a second material chosen from the set consisting of nitrides, carbides, carbonitrides, borides, carbon, and oxides, and the second composite layer comprises a fourth material chosen from the set consisting of nitrides, carbides, carbonitrides, borides, carbon, and oxides, and further wherein the first composite layer is adjacent to the ceramic layer and the second composite layer is adjacent to the first composite layer.

12. The multi-layer coated substrate of claim 11, wherein the second material of the first composite layer is different from the fourth material of the second composite layer.

13. The multi-layer coated substrate of claim 1, wherein the composite layer comprises a thickness in the range of 100 nm to 400 nm.

14. The multi-layer coated substrate of claim 1, wherein the second material comprises between 20% and 60% of the composite layer by weight.

15. The multi-layer coated substrate of claim 1, comprising first and second ceramic layers, wherein the first ceramic layer is adjacent to the composite layer, and the second ceramic layer is adjacent to the first ceramic layer.

16. A method of forming a multi-layer coated substrate, comprising the steps of:

a. spraying a first material comprising cBN particles as a coating preform on the substrate;

b. infiltrating a second material wherein the second material is chosen from the set consisting of nitrides, carbides, carbonitrides, borides, carbon, and oxides into the first material by a chemical vapor infiltration (CVI) process to create a composite cBN particle layer;

c. bonding the cBN composite layer by a method selected from the set consisting of microwave sintering, infrared (IR) heating, laser radiation, and a hybrid process;

d. spraying a third material onto the cBN composite layer to form a ceramic layer, wherein the third material comprises at least one material chosen from the set consisting of nitrides, carbides, carbonitrides, borides, carbon, and oxides.

17. The method of claim 16, further comprising the steps of:

a. spraying a fourth material comprising cBN particles onto the ceramic layer;

b. infiltrating a fifth material wherein the fifth material is chosen from the set consisting of nitrides, carbides, carbonitrides, borides, carbon, and oxides into the fourth material by a chemical vapor infiltration (CVI) process to create a second composite cBN particle layer adjacent to the ceramic layer;

c. bonding the second cBN composite layer by a method selected from the set consisting of microwave sintering, infrared (IR) heating, laser radiation, and a hybrid process.

18. The method of claim 16, wherein the infiltrating step is performed at a temperature in the range of 850°

C. to 1100°

C.

19. The method of claim 18, wherein the infiltrating step is performed for a duration of 120 minutes to 2400 minutes.

20. A method of forming a multi-layer coated substrate, comprising the steps of:

a. spraying a first ceramic material onto the substrate to form a ceramic layer, wherein the ceramic material comprises at least one of nitrides, carbides, carbonitrides, borides, carbon, and oxides;

b. spraying cBN particles onto the ceramic layer;

c. infiltrating a second ceramic material into the cBN particles wherein the second ceramic material is chosen from the set consisting of nitrides, carbides, carbonitrides, borides, carbon, and oxides, and wherein the infiltration step is performed by a chemical vapor infiltration (CVI) process to create a composite cBN particle layer; and

d. bonding the cBN composite layer by a method selected from the set consisting of microwave sintering, infrared (IR) heating, laser radiation, and a hybrid process.

21. The method of claim 20, further comprising the step of spraying a third ceramic material onto the cBN composite layer to form a second ceramic layer, wherein the ceramic material comprises at least one of nitrides, carbides, carbonitrides, borides, carbon, and oxides.

22. The method of claim 20, further comprising the steps of:

a. spraying cBN particles onto the cBN composite layer;

b. infiltrating a third ceramic material wherein the third ceramic material is chosen from the set consisting of nitrides, carbides, carbonitrides, borides, carbon, and oxides, and wherein the third ceramic material is different from the second ceramic material, and further wherein the infiltrating step is performed by a chemical vapor infiltration (CVI) process to create a second composite cBN particle layer adjacent to the cBN composite layer; and

c. bonding the second cBN composite layer by a method selected from the set consisting of microwave sintering, infrared (IR) heating, laser radiation, and a hybrid process.

23. The method of claim 20, wherein the infiltrating step is performed at a temperature in the range of 850°

C. to 1100°

C.

24. The method of claim 23, wherein the infiltrating step is performed for a duration of 120 minutes to 2400 minutes.