Patent ID: 6214247
Filing Date: 2001-04-10
Classification: C23C,Y10T

Abstract:
A method for applying a coating to at least a portion of the surface of a substrate, the substrate comprising particles of a hard material in a binder phase, the method comprising the acts of:removing a portion of said binder phase from said surface of said substrate by contacting said surface with a gas flow substantially free of hydrogen gas and comprising an etchant gas and a second gas for a period of time that will remove said portion of said binder phase to thereby provide an etched surface on said substrate, said etched surface comprising voids produced by removal of said portion of said binder phase, said second gas comprising one or more gases that will not react with said substrate or said portion and that will not change the oxidation state of said substrate during removal of said portion of said binder phase; andapplying said coating to at least a portion of said etched surface, at least a portion of said coating being deposited within at least a portion of said voids in said etched surface.