Researchers in Perm, in the West Urals, are reported to have developed new coating application technology that enables the manufacture of much stronger and more wear-resistant cutting tools and mechanical components. The project brought together teams from the Perm Polytechnic University and the Volga State University of Technology.

Cutting tools and various machine parts across industries, such as mechanical engineering, medicine, aircraft building, chemistry, instrumentation, etc., are always subject to ever-increasing loads, which leads to tear and wear, corrosion, and ultimately to scrapping.

An innovative team of scientists has apparently found a promising way of boosting the strength and durability of such tools and components. They have reportedly improved the way reinforcing and protective multilayer nanocoatings are applied onto those.

Coating application is typically not an easy process, nor is it completely harmless to the metal parts under treatment as defects may appear. Surface inhomogeneities, cracks and pores that may ensue are frequent causes of breakdowns.

Strong and wear-resistant

The researchers studied complex processes of metal particle evaporation and coating application; both were looked into when going ahead simultaneously and under a range of various conditions. That is said to have enabled the team to come up with the most efficient of all the application modes tested, thus ending up with a test run of cutting tools and machinery components turned into a much stronger and more durable version of themselves through the use of the new Perm technique.

“We took test samples made of structural alloyed and carbon steels for heavy-duty cutting purposes and applied on those thin layers of coating based on aluminum-reinforced titanium nitrides; and conditions were different each time we did so. Pulsed magnetron sputtering was used to attempt the approach,” said Dr. Anna Kameneva of Perm Polytechnic’s novel mechanical engineering technology chair who leads the effort.

According to Professor Kameneva, tools and parts treated with nanocoatings in this manner show “exceptional mechanical and tribological properties.” (Tribology is the study of friction, wear, and lubrication.)