characteristic a basic dualism: harder and more wearresistant
materials are typically less tough and stable
under alternating loads, as well as under unstable cutting
conditions and intermittent cutting [1-3]. Material that
cope better with alternating mechanical or thermal
stresses are often less resistant to wear. The tool material
with perfect properties should possess the balanced
combination of high hardness and good toughness,
chemical stability and keep all these properties at
elevated temperatures. In particular, hardness and
toughness are the opposite properties and there is no tool
material, which would have all mentioned properties
simultaneously [1-3]. To overcome this restricting
dualism, various cutting tool materials are manufactured
as composite materials. In particular wider and wider are
applied the tools made of HS-steel and tungsten carbide
with wear resistant coatings, as well as the tools with
modified superficial properties [1, 2, 4-7]. Wider
applications have also found layered cutting materials, in
which layers made of tough carbides as well as
superhard and high heat-resistant ceramics are combined
[8]. Application of a tool material capable to resist
thermal weakening and intensive destruction of the tool
cutting part would be a simple solution of the problem