Wear and Corrosion Protection Using CVD Tungsten Carbide Coatings

The life of critical components and tools can be increased by many different hard coatings and surface treatments such as boronizing, nitriding, hard chrome plating, plasma and thermal spray coatings, physical vapor deposition (PVD) and chemical vapor deposition (CVD) coatings. However, each technique has its own disadvantages. This article discusses the innovative CVD tungsten carbide/tungsten coating named as Hardide, Which exhibits exotic properties.
Types of CVD Tungsten Carbide/Tungsten Coatings

CVD tungsten carbide coatings are different from other tungsten carbide coatings as they do not use cobalt or nickel metal matrix binder. CVD tungsten carbide/tungsten Coatings are available in four different types.

The hardest coating type H comprises pure tungsten carbides, thus demonstrating high hardness but with only 'satisfactory' toughness. The multi-layer coating type M features layers of different hardness. It is possible to modify the overall coating characteristics by changing the ratio between the thickness and properties of individual layer based on specific application requirements. CVD tungsten carbide coating type T is the most widely used coating.
Nano-Structure of CVD Tungsten Carbide Coating Type T

Coating type T is a sophisticated nano-structured material comprising a metallic tungsten matrix with dispersed tungsten carbide nano-particles with a typical size range of 1-10 nm.

High resolution electron microscopy image of precipitate in CVD coating type T deposited on Cu substrate. The atomic distances (1.49 and 1.76 Å) directly taken from the precipitate region are matched best to the lattice constants of W2C (110- 1.49 Å and 102 - 1.74 Å).

The coating type T demonstrates abrasion resistance up to twelevefold higher than that of hard chrome and improved hardness of more than 1100 Hv. The coating can be formed on titanium, low alloy and some tool steels, stainless steel, and Ni-, Co- and Cu-based alloys. This nano-structured material shown unprecedented impact resistance, crack resistance and toughness by tolerating 3000 microstrain deformations without any deterioration.
CVD Tungsten Carbide Coating Porosity

CVD tungsten carbide coating is devoid of through porosity from a thickness of below 1 µm thanks to its deposition mechanism. The crystallization of the coating takes place from the gas-phase atom-by-atom, and the defects and micro-pores in the coating are filled by the highly mobile reaction products as the coating grows.

SEM image of a cross-section of CVD coating layer on cemented carbide substrate. The coating as deposited has exceptionally low porosity and it can isolate substrate material against attacks of aggressive media, such as acids.

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