Patent ID: 8661776

Claim:
A link chain made of chain links that are connected to one another by means of chain joints, whereby a chain joint comprises at least one chain joint bearing and a pin that is guided in the chain joint bearing in such a manner that it can pivot and that is in contact with this chain joint bearing, wherein at least one bearing surface of the pin and/or of the chain joint bearing is provided with a hard material layer and the hard material layer is applied by means of a PVD process, wherein the hard material layer is formed from a compound that comprises at least a first and a second metal and a non-metal, wherein selected as the non-metal is at least one of the materials C, N or Si and the first metal and the second metal are selected from the materials Cr, Mo, V, W, Ti, Cu, Zn, Zr, Ta, Nb, Al, B, Hf, wherein the first and the second metal differ from each other, and the first metal is present in the hard material layer in a crystal structure that differs from the crystal structure of the second metal.