Abstract: In one aspect, coated cutting tools are described herein comprising a substrate and a coating comprising a refractory layer deposited by physical vapor deposition adhered to the substrate, the refractory layer comprising M1-xAlxN wherein x?0.68 and M is titanium, chromium or zirconium, the refractory layer including a cubic crystalline phase and having hardness of at least 25 GPa.

Abstract: A surface-coated cutting tool according to the present invention includes a base material and a coating film formed on the base material. The coating film includes one or more hard layer and one or more oxygen-rich hard layer. The hard layer is crystalline in its entirety or crystalline with a part thereof being amorphous. The oxygen-rich hard layer and the hard layer are stacked and the oxygen-rich hard layer is amorphous in a region of interface with the hard layer.

Abstract: A polycrystalline diamond abrasive element, particularly a cutting element, comprises a layer of polycrystalline diamond having a working surface and bonded to a substrate, particularly a cemented carbide substrate, along an interface. The polycrystalline diamond abrasive element is characterized by using a binder phase that is homogeneously distributed through the polycrystalline diamond layer and that is of a fine scale. The polycrystalline diamond also has a region adjacent the working surface lean in catalyzing material and a region rich in catalyzing material.