Effect of Low-Pressure Plasma Nitriding with Hollow Cathode Discharge on the Surface Microstructure of WC-Co Cermet
Round 1
Reviewer 1 Report
The authors have presented an interesting concept of surface modification of CO-WC alloy using HFCVD. Overall the authors have captured the data well. Some comments:
- Language and spell checks need to be performed and is noticeable in several areas. (E.g. Line 107: Should be .... that of B0. An important....)
- In Table 1, the authors have two test groups B and C which they have only briefly explained in the results section. Clarity on Table 1 and test group needs to be added in experimental procedure.
- Figure 2 needs to be improved significantly. A suggestion for cross-sectional images can be with substrate, transitional layer and the nitride layer and specifically marking each region.
- Adding on above point, did the authors observe any transitional layer which is generally observed between the nitriding surface and the substrate and considering the annealing temperatures?
- The authors need to clarify which XRD patterns are they referring to in Figure 3 while discussing in lines 136-138.
- Considering the shift of peaks being very marginal in Figure 3, the authors can also add dotted lines representing the positions and shift to represent the peaks in a better manner.
- For Figure 5, can the authors clarify if the EDS scans are on the cross-sectional image or the top view image?
- Can the authors comment on why no mechanical tests (like hardness, etc.) not performed on the modified surfaces? If performed, the results could add more meat to the paper.
Author Response
Thank your creative suggests and advices.
According to your comments. In the revised text the following modification is made in red words.
1) 10 more references added to provide sufficient background information, i.e., the progress of hardmetal surface modification, and pretreatment for diamond deposition (see the section 1). I try best, but so far there is only 3 published papers on plasma-nitriding Co-binder carbide alloys.
2) The reference number is reordered (see “reference” section).
3) In order to avoid some abbreviation-like misunderstanding, specimen group name is remarked (see Table 1), and keep consistence in the full text.
4) Conclusion is rewritten.
5) Because the manuscript downloaded from the journal editing system is without line numbering. In the submitted the line is re-numbering. Sorry for inconvenience.
Best regards
P. S. : The repsponse to your comment points is included in the attached file.
Author Response File: 
Author Response.docx
Reviewer 2 Report
The manuscript entitled “Effect of low-pressure plasma nitriding with hollow cathode discharge on the surface microstructure of Co-WC alloy” deals with the improvement of the surface of alloys as a result of its nitriding. As I've understood from the article, one of the authors goals is improvement of the surface hardness and the live time elongation of machining tolls by deposition of diamonds on the alloy's surface, specially of cemented carbides. In my opinion, the authors properly describe problems of the surface conversion caused by elevated temperature under lower pressure. However, they don't have received their goal as they didn't show any proved that they have deposited diamonds on the surface. From this viewpoint, the manuscript have to be rethinking by the authors before possible publication.
Minor mistakes:
Line 44 an abbreviation NA is not known.
Line 108 and 122 what is a meaning of BWhen?
Line 121 what is a meaning of Bin?
Line 160 there is a lack of Figure number.
Line 215 the meaning of the sentence is not clear, “can transform the surface Co in Co-WC carbide alloys into …”
Author Response
Thank you for good advices. According to comments from all viewers. The following modification is made.
1) 10 more references added to provide sufficient background information, i.e., the progress of hardmetal surface modification, and pretreatment for diamond deposition (see the section “Introduction”). I try best, but so far there is only 3 published papers on plasma-nitriding Co-binder carbide alloys.
2) The reference number is reordered (see “reference” section).
3) In order to avoid some abbreviation-like misunderstanding, specimen group name is remarked (see Table 1), and keep consistence in the full text.
4) Conclusion is rewritten.
5) Because the manuscript downloaded from the journal editing system is without line numbering. In the submitted the line is re-numbering. Sorry for inconvenience.
Best regards
P.s.,: The response to your comment points is included in the attached file.
Author Response File: Author Response.docx
Reviewer 3 Report
The manuscript contains new results that are of both scientific and practical interest. But there are the following comments on the article:
- In the introduction, it is necessary to indicate the possibility of obtaining composite electrochemical coatings modified with various carbon materials and cite the following publications:
1. Tseluikin V.N., Koreshkova A.A. Electrodeposition of zinc-nickel-carbon nanotubes composite coatings in a reversing mode // Protection of metals and physical chemistry of surfaces. 2016. V. 52. P. 1040 – 1042.
2. Gobinda Gyawali, Bhupendra Joshi, Khagendra Tripathi, Soo Wohn Lee. Effect of ultrasonic nanocrystal surface modification on properties of electrodeposited Ni and Ni-SiC composite coatings // Journal of Materials Engeneerig and Performance. 2017. V. 26. P. 4462 – 4469.
3. Lanzutti A., Lekka M., de Leitenburg C., Fedrizzi L. Effect of pulse current on wear behaviour of Ni matrix micro- and nano-SiC composite coatings at room and elevated temperature. Tribology International. 2019. V. 132, P. 50 – 61.
- The conclusions are formulated too briefly. It is necessary to give a more detailed formulation of the results obtained by the authors.
Author Response
Thank you for creative suggests and advices. According to comments from all viewers. The following modification is made.
1) 10 more references added to provide sufficient background information, i.e., the progress of hardmetal surface modification, and pretreatment for diamond deposition (see the section “Introduction”). I try best, but so far there is only 3 published papers on plasma-nitriding Co-binder carbide alloys.
2) The reference number is reordered (see “reference” section).
3) In order to avoid some abbreviation-like misunderstanding, specimen group name is remarked (see Table 1), and keep consistence in the full text.
4) Conclusion is rewritten.
5) Because the manuscript downloaded from the journal editing system is without line numbering. In the submitted the line is re-numbering. Sorry for inconvenience.
Best regards
P.s.: The response to your comment points is included in the attached file.
Author Response File: Author Response.docx
Round 2
Reviewer 2 Report
After checking the revised version of the manuscript, I accept the explanation given by the authors and agree with the publication of their results. However, I've found some minor imperfections:
line 169, Figure 3 shows the grazing XRD whether the choice of words is correct in this sentence?
In figure 2f, the addition of chemical elements' distribution is completely unreadable for readers!
Author Response
Thank you for good advices. In terms of your comments, this revised text has been made.
- Sentence of Line 169 is corrected.
- Figure 2 is rearranged.
- The correction points are highlighted in purple in the text.
Best regards
Author Response File: Author Response.docx
