METHOD OF FORMING AMORPHOUS METAL COATINGS ON STEEL WORKPIECES

1 . A method for forming a coating on a steel workpiece, comprising:

1) performing an etching treatment to the steel workpiece to obtain an etched steel workpiece;

2) performing an electropolishing treatment to the etched steel workpiece by using the etched steel workpiece as an anode to obtain an electropolished steel workpiece;

3) performing a plasma treatment to the electropolished steel workpiece to obtain a plasma treated steel workpiece;

4) depositing an intermediate layer on the surface of the plasma treated steel workpiece to obtain a steel workpiece with the intermediate layer; and

5) depositing an amorphous metal coating on the steel workpiece with the intermediate layer, wherein the amorphous metal coating is comprised of an amorphous alloy selected from the group consisting of: a zirconium-based amorphous alloy, a copper-based amorphous alloy, a nickel-based amorphous alloy, an aluminum-based amorphous alloy, a titanium-based amorphous alloy, an iron-based amorphous alloy, or a palladium-based amorphous alloy.

2 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the amorphous metal coating in 5) is comprised of an iron-based amorphous alloy.

3 . The method according to claim 2 , wherein the iron-based amorphous alloy is comprised of 30-50 at. % Fe, 10-25 at. % Cr, 10-20 at. % Mo, 10-20 at. % Ti, 5-15 at. % B, 5-15 at. % C, 3-8 at. % Si, 0-10 at. % Co and 0-5 at. % Y.

4 . The method according to claim 3 , wherein the iron-based amorphous alloy is comprised of Fe 31 Cr 15 Mo 14 C 10 B 10 Si 5 Ti 15 .

5 . The method according to claim 3 , wherein the iron-based amorphous alloy is comprised of Fe 41 Cr 15 Co 7 Mo 14 C 12 B 9 Y 2 .

6 . The method according to claim 3 , wherein the iron-based amorphous alloy is comprised of Fe 44 Cr 15 Mo 14 C 10 B 5 Si 5 Co 7 .

7 . The method according to claim 3 , wherein the iron-based amorphous alloy is comprised of Fe 46 Cr 23 Mo 14 B 5 Si 5 Co 7 .

8 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the intermediate layer in 4) is comprised of Cu, Al, Ti or TiO, preferably Al or Ti, and most preferably Ti.

9 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the etching treatment in 1) is performed in an etching solution containing ferric chloride.

10 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the intermediate layer and the amorphous metal coating are respectively deposited on the treated steel workpiece by using a physical vapor deposition (PVD) method such as sputtering.

11 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein the intermediate layer is deposited on the treated steel workpiece by radio frequency (RF) sputtering or direct current (DC) sputtering, preferably, the sputtering is performed in an argon atmosphere at 0.1-1 Pa and 2-4 W/cm 2 for 5-20 min, more preferably, the sputtering is performed in an argon atmosphere at 0.3 pa and 2.55 W/cm 2 for 10 min.

12 . The method according to claim 10 , wherein the amorphous metal coating is deposited on the treated steel workpiece by direct current (DC) sputtering, preferably, the DC sputtering is performed in an argon atmosphere at 0.1-1 Pa and 2-4 W/cm 2 for 40-100 min, more preferably, the DC sputtering is performed in an argon atmosphere at 0.3 pa and 2.55 W/cm 2 for 60 min.

13 . The method according to claim 1 , wherein the steel workpiece is a cutting instrument such as a blade.

14 . A coated steel workpiece, comprising:

a steel substrate;

an intermediate layer on the surface of the steel substrate; and

an amorphous metal coating on the surface of the steel substrate with the intermediate layer;

wherein the coated steel workpiece is formed by the method according to claim 1 .

15 . The coated steel workpiece according to claim 14 , wherein the intermediate layer has a thickness of 0-100 nm.

16 . The coated steel workpiece according to claim 14 , wherein the amorphous metal coating has a thickness of 100-900 nm.