Preparation and wear resistance of TiBC, TiBN, SiN_x single layer film and TiBC-SiN_x and TiBN-SiN_x double layer film by thermal plasma CVD

Monolithic (TiBC, TiBN, SiN_x) and double layered films (TiBC-SiN_x, TiBN-SiN_x) were deposited on Si wafers or WC-Co substrates at about 800°C from a hexamethyldisiloxane, titanium tetra-ethoxide or tri-ethoxy borate solution and their mixed solution by thermal plasma chemical vapor deposition. The films were characterized by thin film X-raydiffractmetry (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, EDS analysis and the cutting tests. XRD indicated that TiBC and TiBN phases were crystalline, but SiN_x was amorphous. Thickness of under-layered TiBC or TiBN and over-layered SiN_x in the double layered films was 0.5 and 2-4μm, respectively. The cutting tests for the double layered film deposited on WC-Co showed that the double layered TiBC-SiN_x and TiBN-SiN_x films possessed the good wear resistance comparable to or higher than the commercial TiN film deposited on WC-Co prepared by thermal CVD, in terms of crater and flank wear resistances.