# US 12,109,627 B2 · Coated cutting tool

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- Number: US 12,109,627 B2
- Document ID: US12109627B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 17/687,730
- Filed: 2022-03-07
- Published: 2022-11-17
- Granted: 2024-10-08
- Earliest claimed: 2021-04-30
- Assignees: Tungaloy Corporation
- Applicants: Tungaloy Corporation
- Inventors: Cangyu Fan
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US12109627B2

## CPC

- B23B 27/148: {Composition of the cutting inserts}
- B23C 5/16: characterised by physical features other than shape
- C23C 16/0227: {by cleaning or etching}
- C23C 16/0272: {Deposition of sub-layers, e.g. to promote the adhesion of the main coating}
- C23C 16/34: Nitrides {(C23C16/303 takes precedence)}
- C23C 16/403: {of aluminium, magnesium or beryllium}
- C23C 28/04: only coatings of inorganic non-metallic material
- C23C 28/042: {including a refractory ceramic layer, e.g. refractory metal oxides, ZrO2, rare earth oxides}
- C23C 28/044: {coatings specially adapted for cutting tools or wear applications}
- C23C 30/005: {on hard metal substrates}
- B23B 2228/105: with specified thickness
- B23B: TURNING; BORING (arrangements for copying or controlling B23Q)
- B23C: MILLING (broaching B23D; broach-milling in making gears B23F; arrangement for copying or controlling B23Q)
- C23C: COATING METALLIC MATERIAL; COATING MATERIAL WITH METALLIC MATERIAL; SURFACE TREATMENT OF METALLIC MATERIAL BY DIFFUSION INTO THE SURFACE, BY CHEMICAL CONVERSION OR SUBSTITUTION; COATING BY VACUUM EVAPORATION, BY SPUTTERING, BY ION IMPLANTATION OR BY CHEMICAL VAPOUR DEPOSITION, IN GENERAL (making metal-coated products by extrusion B21C23/22; covering with metal by connecting pre-existing layers to articles, see the relevant places, e.g. B21D39/00, B23K; metallising of glass C03C; metallising mortars, concrete, artificial stone, ceramics or natural stone C04B41/00; enamelling of, or applying a vitreous layer to, metals C23D; treating metal surfaces or coating of metals by electrolysis or electrophoresis C25D; single-crystal film growth C30B; by metallising textiles D06M11/83; decorating textiles by locally metallising D06Q1/04)

## Abstract

A coated cutting tool, comprising: a substrate; and a coating layer formed on a surface of the substrate, wherein the coating layer includes a lower layer and an upper layer in this order from the substrate side toward the surface side of the coating layer, and the upper layer is formed on a surface of the lower layer, the lower layer contains a compound having a composition represented by (AlxTi1-x)N, an average thickness of the lower layer is 1.0 μm or more and 15.0 μm or less, the upper layer contains an α-Al2O3 layer containing α-Al2O3, an average thickness of the upper layer is 0.5 μm or more and 15.0 μm or less, and in the α-Al2O3 layer, a texture coefficient TC (1, 1, 6) of a (1, 1, 6) plane is 2.0 or more and 6.0 or less.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A coated cutting tool, comprising:
a substrate; and
a coating layer formed on a surface of the substrate, wherein
the coating layer includes a lower layer and an upper layer in this order from the substrate side toward the surface side of the coating layer, and the upper layer is formed on a surface of the lower layer,
the lower layer contains a compound having a composition represented by the following Formula (1)
(AlxTi1-x)N (1)
where, in Formula (1), x represents an atomic ratio of an Al element as to a sum of the Al element and a Ti element, and 0.70≤x≤0.90 is satisfied,
an average thickness of the lower layer is 1.0 μm or more and 15.0 μm or less,
the upper layer contains an α-Al2O3 layer containing α-Al2O3,
an average thickness of the upper layer is 0.5 μm or more and 15.0 μm or less, and
in the α-Al2O3 layer, a texture coefficient TC (1, 1, 6) of a (1, 1, 6) plane represented by the following Formula (2) is 2.0 or more and 6.0 or less
TC
⁢
(
1
,
1
,
6
)
=
I
⁡
(
1
,
1
,
6
)
I
0
(
1
,
1
,
6
)
⁢
{
1
9
⁢
∑
I
⁡
(
h
,
k
,
l
)
I
0
(
h
,
k
,
l
)
}
-
1
(
2
)
where, in Formula (2), I(h, k, l) represents peak intensity of (h, k, l) planes in X-ray diffraction of the α-Al2O3 layer, I0(h, k, l) represents standard diffraction intensity of (h, k, l) planes of α-Al2O3 according to JCPDS Card No. 10-0173, and (h, k, l) represents nine crystal planes of (0, 1, 2), (1, 0, 4), (1, 1, 3), (0, 2, 4), (1, 1, 6), (1, 2, 4), (3, 0, 0), (0, 0, 12), and (0, 2, 10).

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The coated cutting tool according to claim 1, wherein in the α-Al2O3 layer, a texture coefficient TC (0, 2, 10) of a (0, 2, 10) plane represented by the following Formula (3) is 1.0 or more and 3.0 or less
TC
⁢
(
0
,
2
,
1
⁢
0
)
=
I
⁡
(
0
,
2
,
10
)
I
0
(
0
,
2
,
10
)
⁢
{
1
9
⁢
∑
I
⁡
(
h
,
k
,
l
)
I
0
(
h
,
k
,
l
)
}
-
1
(
3
)
where, in Formula (3), I(h, k, l) represents peak intensity of (h, k, l) planes in X-ray diffraction of the α-Al2O3 layer, I0(h, k, l) represents standard diffraction intensity of (h, k, l) planes of α-Al2O3 according to JCPDS Card No. 10-0173, and (h, k, l) represents nine crystal planes of (0, 1, 2), (1, 0, 4), (1, 1, 3), (0, 2, 4), (1, 1, 6), (1, 2, 4), (3, 0, 0), (0, 0, 12), and (0, 2, 10).

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The coated cutting tool according to claim 1, wherein in the α-Al2O3 layer, a texture coefficient TC (0, 0, 12) of a (0, 0, 12) plane represented by the following Formula (4) is 1.0 or more and 4.0 or less
TC
⁢
(
0
,
0
,
12
)
=
I
⁡
(
0
,
0
,
12
)
I
0
(
0
,
0
,
12
)
⁢
{
1
9
⁢
∑
I
⁡
(
h
,
k
,
l
)
I
0
(
h
,
k
,
l
)
}
-
1
(
4
)
where, in Formula (4), I(h, k, l) represents peak intensity of (h, k, l) planes in X-ray diffraction of the α-Al2O3 layer, I0(h, k, l) represents standard diffraction intensity of (h, k, l) planes of α-Al2O3 according to JCPDS Card No. 10-0173, and (h, k, l) represents nine crystal planes of (0, 1, 2), (1, 0, 4), (1, 1, 3), (0, 2, 4), (1, 1, 6), (1, 2, 4), (3, 0, 0), (0, 0, 12), and (0, 2, 10).

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The coated cutting tool according to claim 1, wherein in the α-Al2O3 layer, a sum of the texture coefficient TC (1, 1, 6), the texture coefficient TC (0, 2, 10) of the (0, 2, 10) plane represented by the following Formula (3), and the texture coefficient TC (0, 0, 12) of the (0, 0, 12) plane represented by the following Formula (4) is 5.0 or more and 8.5 or less
TC
⁢
(
0
,
2
,
1
⁢
0
)
=
I
⁡
(
0
,
2
,
10
)
I
0
(
0
,
2
,
10
)
⁢
{
1
9
⁢
∑
I
⁡
(
h
,
k
,
l
)
I
0
(
h
,
k
,
l
)
}
-
1
(
3
)
TC
⁡
(
0
,
0
,
12
)
=
I
⁡
(
0
,
0
,
12
)
I
0
(
0
,
0
,
12
)
⁢
{
1
9
⁢
∑
I
⁡
(
h
,
k
,
l
)
I
0
(
h
,
k
,
l
)
}
-
1
(
4
)
where, in Formulas (3) and (4), I(h, k, l) represents peak intensity of (h, k, l) planes in X-ray diffraction of the α-Al2O3 layer, I0(h, k, l) represents standard diffraction intensity of (h, k, l) planes of α-Al2O3 according to JCPDS Card No. 10-0173, and (h, k, l) represents nine crystal planes of (0, 1, 2), (1, 0, 4), (1, 1, 3), (0, 2, 4), (1, 1, 6), (1, 2, 4), (3, 0, 0), (0, 0, 12), and (0, 2, 10).

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The coated cutting tool according to claim 1, wherein an average grain size of grains of the α-Al2O3 layer is 0.2 μm or more and 0.5 μm or less.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The coated cutting tool according to claim 1, wherein an average thickness of the entire coating layer is 2.0 μm or more and 20.0 μm or less.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The coated cutting tool according to claim 1, wherein the substrate is any of a cemented carbide, a cermet, a ceramic, or a cubic boron nitride sintered body.

### Claim 8 (depends on 2)

The coated cutting tool according to claim 2, wherein in the α-Al2O3 layer, a texture coefficient TC (0, 0, 12) of a (0, 0, 12) plane represented by the following Formula (4) is 1.0 or more and 4.0 or less
TC
⁢
(
0
,
0
,
12
)
=
I
⁡
(
0
,
0
,
12
)
I
0
(
0
,
0
,
12
)
⁢
{
1
9
⁢
∑
I
⁡
(
h
,
k
,
l
)
I
0
(
h
,
k
,
l
)
}
-
1
(
4
)
where, in Formula (4), I(h, k, l) represents peak intensity of (h, k, l) planes in X-ray diffraction of the α-Al2O3 layer, I0(h, k, l) represents standard diffraction intensity of (h, k, l) planes of α-Al2O3 according to JCPDS Card No. 10-0173, and (h, k, l) represents nine crystal planes of (0, 1, 2), (1, 0, 4), (1, 1, 3), (0, 2, 4), (1, 1, 6), (1, 2, 4), (3, 0, 0), (0, 0, 12), and (0, 2, 10).

### Claim 9 (depends on 2)

The coated cutting tool according to claim 2, wherein in the α-Al2O3 layer, a sum of the texture coefficient TC (1, 1, 6), the texture coefficient TC (0, 2, 10) of the (0, 2, 10) plane represented by the following Formula (3), and a texture coefficient TC (0, 0, 12) of the (0, 0, 12) plane represented by the following Formula (4) is 5.0 or more and 8.5 or less
TC
⁢
(
0
,
2
,
1
⁢
0
)
=
I
⁡
(
0
,
2
,
10
)
I
0
(
0
,
2
,
10
)
⁢
{
1
9
⁢
∑
I
⁡
(
h
,
k
,
l
)
I
0
(
h
,
k
,
l
)
}
-
1
(
3
)
TC
⁡
(
0
,
0
,
12
)
=
I
⁡
(
0
,
0
,
12
)
I
0
(
0
,
0
,
12
)
⁢
{
1
9
⁢
∑
I
⁡
(
h
,
k
,
l
)
I
0
(
h
,
k
,
l
)
}
-
1
(
4
)
where, in Formulas (3) and (4), I(h, k, l) represents peak intensity of (h, k, l) planes in X-ray diffraction of the α-Al2O3 layer, I0(h, k, l) represents standard diffraction intensity of (h, k, l) planes of α-Al2O3 according to JCPDS Card No. 10-0173, and (h, k, l) represents nine crystal planes of (0, 1, 2), (1, 0, 4), (1, 1, 3), (0, 2, 4), (1, 1, 6), (1, 2, 4), (3, 0, 0), (0, 0, 12), and (0, 2, 10).

### Claim 10 (depends on 3)

The coated cutting tool according to claim 3, wherein in the α-Al2O3 layer, a sum of the texture coefficient TC (1, 1, 6), a texture coefficient TC (0, 2, 10) of the (0, 2, 10) plane represented by the following Formula (3), and the texture coefficient TC (0, 0, 12) of the (0, 0, 12) plane represented by the following Formula (4) is 5.0 or more and 8.5 or less
TC
⁢
(
0
,
2
,
1
⁢
0
)
=
I
⁡
(
0
,
2
,
10
)
I
0
(
0
,
2
,
10
)
⁢
{
1
9
⁢
∑
I
⁡
(
h
,
k
,
l
)
I
0
(
h
,
k
,
l
)
}
-
1
(
3
)
TC
⁡
(
0
,
0
,
12
)
=
I
⁡
(
0
,
0
,
12
)
I
0
(
0
,
0
,
12
)
⁢
{
1
9
⁢
∑
I
⁡
(
h
,
k
,
l
)
I
0
(
h
,
k
,
l
)
}
-
1
(
4
)
where, in Formulas (3) and (4), I(h, k, l) represents peak intensity of (h, k, l) planes in X-ray diffraction of the α-Al2O3 layer, I0(h, k, l) represents standard diffraction intensity of (h, k, l) planes of α-Al2O3 according to JCPDS Card No. 10-0173, and (h, k, l) represents nine crystal planes of (0, 1, 2), (1, 0, 4), (1, 1, 3), (0, 2, 4), (1, 1, 6), (1, 2, 4), (3, 0, 0), (0, 0, 12), and (0, 2, 10).

### Claim 11 (depends on 8)

The coated cutting tool according to claim 8, wherein in the α-Al2O3 layer, a sum of the texture coefficient TC (1, 1, 6), the texture coefficient TC (0, 2, 10) of the (0, 2, 10) plane represented by the following Formula (3), and the texture coefficient TC (0, 0, 12) of the (0, 0, 12) plane represented by the following Formula (4) is 5.0 or more and 8.5 or less
TC
⁡
(
0
,
2
,
1
⁢
0
)
=
I
⁡
(
0
,
2
,
10
)
I
0
(
0
,
2
,
10
)
⁢
{
1
9
⁢
∑
I
⁡
(
h
,
k
,
l
)
I
0
(
h
,
k
,
l
)
}
-
1
(
3
)
TC
⁡
(
0
,
0
,
12
)
=
I
⁡
(
0
,
0
,
12
)
I
0
(
0
,
0
,
12
)
⁢
{
1
9
⁢
∑
I
⁡
(
h
,
k
,
l
)
I
0
(
h
,
k
,
l
)
}
-
1
(
4
)
where, in Formulas (3) and (4), I(h, k, l) represents peak intensity of (h, k, l) planes in X-ray diffraction of the α-Al2O3 layer, I0(h, k, l) represents standard diffraction intensity of (h, k, l) planes of α-Al2O3 according to JCPDS Card No. 10-0173, and (h, k, l) represents nine crystal planes of (0, 1, 2), (1, 0, 4), (1, 1, 3), (0, 2, 4), (1, 1, 6), (1, 2, 4), (3, 0, 0), (0, 0, 12), and (0, 2, 10).

### Claim 12 (depends on 2)

The coated cutting tool according to claim 2, wherein an average grain size of grains of the α-Al2O3 layer is 0.2 μm or more and 0.5 μm or less.

### Claim 13 (depends on 3)

The coated cutting tool according to claim 3, wherein an average grain size of grains of the α-Al2O3 layer is 0.2 μm or more and 0.5 μm or less.

### Claim 14 (depends on 4)

The coated cutting tool according to claim 4, wherein an average grain size of grains of the α-Al2O3 layer is 0.2 μm or more and 0.5 μm or less.

### Claim 15 (depends on 8)

The coated cutting tool according to claim 8, wherein an average grain size of grains of the α-Al2O3 layer is 0.2 μm or more and 0.5 μm or less.

### Claim 16 (depends on 9)

The coated cutting tool according to claim 9, wherein an average grain size of grains of the α-Al2O3 layer is 0.2 μm or more and 0.5 μm or less.

### Claim 17 (depends on 10)

The coated cutting tool according to claim 10, wherein an average grain size of grains of the α-Al2O3 layer is 0.2 μm or more and 0.5 μm or less.

### Claim 18 (depends on 11)

The coated cutting tool according to claim 11, wherein an average grain size of grains of the α-Al2O3 layer is 0.2 μm or more and 0.5 μm or less.

### Claim 19 (depends on 2)

The coated cutting tool according to claim 2, wherein an average thickness of the entire coating layer is 2.0 μm or more and 20.0 μm or less.

### Claim 20 (depends on 3)

The coated cutting tool according to claim 3, wherein an average thickness of the entire coating layer is 2.0 μm or more and 20.0 μm or less.