Deformation mechanisms of CVD coatings at high temperature
- Reference number
- SM13-0010
- Start and end dates
- 140630-161231
- Amount granted
- 1 000 000 SEK
- Administrative organization
- Seco Tools AB
- Research area
- Materials Science and Technology
Summary
The objective of the present research work is to investigate the high temperature deformation behaviour of modern CVD coatings (Al2O3, TiCN) developed by Seco Tools for metal cutting applications. The research work will be carried out at the Centre for Advanced Structural Ceramics (CASC) in the department of Materials and Mechanical Engineering at Imperial College London. High temperature nanoindentation and micropillar compression experiments will be performed on single layer and multilayer coating material systems using a modified nanoindenter and in situ SEM loading stage. The characterisation of the deformed specimens will be performed using high resolution analytical microscopy techniques such as scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy and electron back scattered diffraction. The results from this investigation will provide a detailed understanding of the underlying deformation mechanisms and fracture of CVD coatings at elevated temperature. These will be further implemented in advanced simulation models based on crystal plasticity finite element method to predict the mechanical behaviour of the coating material systems for a wide range of temperature and loading conditions. This will provide Seco Tools with a robust understanding of the effect of all components within the thin films on the overall deformation behaviour, allowing a rational bottom up design of future coating systems for future product development.
Popular science description
Sandvik Machining Solutions (SMS) is a business area of the Sandvik Group, which Seco Tools is a part of. SMS holds a world leading position in the metal cutting tool industry sector with world market share of 35% and plays also an important role in the Swedish manufacturing sector where the demands for increased productivity requires the development of high performance products and advanced metal cutting solutions for a more efficient component manufacture. In order to meet these challenges and remain competitive on the market, robust knowledge-based competence platforms are needed for developing new cutting tool geometries, substrate and coating materials. In the latter, the optimisation of a particular material design and synthesis route for the coating material remains a crucial step that often determines the mechanical properties and performance of the final product. The proposed research represents an important step in this direction where accordingly a competence platform utilising advanced material characteristation in tandem with simulation methods will be developed for studying in details the deformation properties of coating films at elevated temperatures approaching those typically encountered in metal cutting operations. The research work will be carried out at the Centre for Advanced Structural Ceramics (CASC) in the department of Materials and Mechanical Engineering at Imperial College London where these facilities and skills have been developed, specifically to study ceramics and coatings and particularly in combination with the microstructural modelling that are not available in other labs in the world. This research work will provide Seco Tools with a robust understanding of the effect of all components within the thin films on the overall deformation behaviour, allowing a rational bottom up design of future coating systems for future product development.