Dry cutting performance and mechanism of tools with textured composite coatings fabricated by EHDA

This study investigates the cutting performance of textured composite coatings deposited on cutting tool surfaces via electrohydrodynamic atomization (EHDA). The resulting jagged-textured coatings exhibited high surface integrity, with well-bonded soft and hard phases with clearly defined interfacial boundaries. In dry cutting of 304 stainless steel, the C3ZT-coated tools exhibited significantly reduced cutting force, friction coefficient, and cutting temperature, alongside improved surface finish, reduced tool wear, and favorable chip formation. The micro-textured hard layers minimized the tool-chip contact zone and enhanced wear resistance, while the tailored soft phases enhanced lubrication effectiveness. These combined effects contributed to consistently improved tribological behavior across varying cutting speeds. The findings provide useful insights for the development of advanced multifunctional coated tools.