Method for depositing hard coatings on titanium or titanium alloys

Abstract

The invention discloses a coated substrate product comprises of a titanium or titanium alloy substrate, at least one thin interlayer composed of a non-reactive noble metal and a hard outer coating selected from the group comprised of a ceramic, hard metal, a hard metal compound and a diamond-like carbon, wherein at least the non-reactive noble metal interlayer which is immediately adjacent to the titanium or titanium alloy substrate is deposited onto the substrate by means of an electroless plating procedure, and the hard outer coating is deposited onto the non-reactive interlayer(s) by means of known chemical and physical vapor deposition techniques. The invention also discloses a method for making these coated substrate products. The method includes the steps of treating the substrate with a mild abrasive to remove oxides from the surface of the substrate, depositing thin non-reactive noble metal interlayers onto the substrate by means of an electroless plating technique, heat treating the noble metal coated substrate to a temperature in the range of about 200.degree. to about 300.degree. C. in the presence of air or a temperature in the range of about 200.degree. to about 475.degree. C. in the presence of an inert gas, and depositing a hard outer coating.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.