New color from multilayer coating applied machining tools based on tungsten carbide insert

TiCN/TiNbCN multilayer systems were synthetized on silicon substrates by radio frequency (r.f.) magnetron sputtering with alternatively changing the sputtering plasma composition between pure Ti+C and Nb elements under a reactive mixture of Ar/N 2 . Bilayer numbers were increased from nanometric range (15 nm) to higher micrometric range (1.5 μm). The structural and chemical properties were analyzed by X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (TEM), electron energy loss spectroscopy (EELS), and optical properties via color purity. The multilayer period effect on the optical properties such as color purity was studied and the color dependence as function of bilayer number with niobium (Nb) modulation in the TiCN/TiNbCN system determined. The spectra for all layers showed high reflectance at large wavelengths, e.g., 92% for the TiNbCN layer, 89% for the TiCN layer, and about 75% for the TiCN/TiNbCN multilayer deposited with n = 200 and Λ = 15 nm. So the changes in the color purity present novel color applied on machining tools (tungsten carbide insert) in relation to (Nb) fluctuation which can be applied in optical and industrial applications.