Advances in deposition of diamond films on cemented carbide and progress of diamond coated cutting tools

Diamond film is one of the significant coating materials for cutting tools due to the excellent properties in mechanics. However, cobalt on the surface of cemented carbide substrate is unfavorable to the nucleation and growth of diamond films, and the high residual stress also leads to the peeling of diamond films. Both two issues are the austere challenges in fabrication of diamond films on cemented carbide, which also have been attracting much attention from the increasing number of scholars and institutions. In this review, we focus on the recent advances in deposition of diamond films on cemented carbide, including pretreatment methods, deposition parameters, elements doping and insert of interlayers technology for removing cobalt, restraining cobalt diffusion, enhancing adhesion strength and surface properties, and reducing residual stress. Meanwhile, the progress of diamond coated cutting tools is reviewed, as well as the prospects regarding the deposition and applications of diamond films are discussed.