| CPC C23C 28/042 (2013.01) [B32B 18/00 (2013.01); C01B 32/914 (2017.08); C04B 41/009 (2013.01); C04B 41/526 (2013.01); C04B 41/89 (2013.01); C23C 16/325 (2013.01)] | 12 Claims |

|
1. A refractory carbide multilayer comprising a first layer, a second layer, and a third layer, wherein:
a. the first layer has an average thickness of at least 25 nm and contains at least one refractory carbide,
b. the second layer has an average thickness of at least 25 nm and contains at least one refractory carbide,
c. the third layer has an average thickness of at least 25 nm and contains at least one refractory carbide,
d. the first layer has a larger mean linear intercept section grain size than the second layer; and wherein the second layer is sandwiched between the first layer and the third layer, and the third layer has a larger mean linear intercept section grain size than the second layer, and
wherein the second layer contains more of a non-carbon constituent of the refractory carbide than the first layer.
|