ABSTRACT
Steel and carbide materials are widely used in a variety of practical applications where moving assemblies of tools and machine components are involved. They are often subjected to environments characterized by accelerated wear that result from the sliding and rolling of such components. Therefore, smooth protective coatings well-bonded to steel and carbide surfaces are desirable in such applica tions. These protective coatings should enhance mechanical performance and in crease lifetime in abrasive conditions. The use of diamond coatings as protective coatings for steel materials has been suggested and attempted for practical appli cations in many laboratories [1-3].
