Provided is a cutting tool comprising a base body and a hard carbon film arranged on the base body, in which, when the cross section of the hard carbon film is observed using a high angle annular dark field scanning transmission electron microscope, the area proportion of black regions with an equivalent circle diameter of 10 nm or more is 0.7% or less, and the hard carbon film has a hydrogen content of 5 atom% or less.

Provided is a cutting tool comprising a base body and a hard carbon film arranged on the base body, in which the hard carbon film includes an amorphous phase and a graphite phase, the degree of crystallinity of the hard carbon film is no more than 6.5%, and the degree of orientation of the graphite phase is no more than 6.

Provided is a cutting tool comprising a base body and a hard carbon film arranged on the base body, in which the hard carbon film includes an amorphous phase and a graphite phase, the degree of crystallinity of the hard carbon film is no more than 6.5%, and the degree of orientation of the graphite phase is no more than 6.

A surface-coated cutting tool according to the present invention includes a tool body and a hard coating layer including a complex carbonitride layer containing a small amount of chlorine and (Ti.sub.(1-x)Zr.sub.xyHf.sub.x(1-y))(N.sub.(1-z)C.sub.z) (0.10≤x≤0.90, 0<y≤1.0, 0.08<z<0.60), a ZrHf and C content ratios in cycles, a cycle distance between a maximum ZrHf content point and an adjacent minimum ZrHf content point and a cycle distance between a maximum C content point and an adjacent minimum C content point are 5 to 100 nm, an average value of content ratio differences Δx and Δz is 0.02 or more, a distance between the maximum ZrHf content point and the maximum C content point is ⅕ or less of the distance between a maximum content point and a minimum content point of adjacent ZrHf components, and a composition fluctuation structure is 10% or more.

A surface-coated cutting tool according to the present invention includes a tool body and a hard coating layer including a complex carbonitride layer containing a small amount of chlorine and (Ti.sub.(1-x)Zr.sub.xyHf.sub.x(1-y))(N.sub.(1-z)C.sub.z) (0.10≤x≤0.90, 0<y≤1.0, 0.08<z<0.60), a ZrHf and C content ratios in cycles, a cycle distance between a maximum ZrHf content point and an adjacent minimum ZrHf content point and a cycle distance between a maximum C content point and an adjacent minimum C content point are 5 to 100 nm, an average value of content ratio differences Δx and Δz is 0.02 or more, a distance between the maximum ZrHf content point and the maximum C content point is ⅕ or less of the distance between a maximum content point and a minimum content point of adjacent ZrHf components, and a composition fluctuation structure is 10% or more.

Provided is a cutting tool that can have a long tool life even when used to cut soft metals in particular. The cutting tool comprises a base body and a hard carbon film arranged on the base body, the hard carbon film includes an amorphous phase and a graphite phase, the density of the hard carbon film is no less than 2.5 g/cm.sup.3 and no more than 3.5 g/cm.sup.3, the degree of crystallinity of the hard carbon film is no more than 6.5%, and the average coordination number of the amorphous phase is no less than 2.5 and no more than 4.

Provided is a cutting tool that can have a long tool life even when used to cut soft metals in particular. The cutting tool comprises a base body and a hard carbon film arranged on the base body, the hard carbon film includes an amorphous phase and a graphite phase, the density of the hard carbon film is no less than 2.5 g/cm.sup.3 and no more than 3.5 g/cm.sup.3, the degree of crystallinity of the hard carbon film is no more than 6.5%, and the average coordination number of the amorphous phase is no less than 2.5 and no more than 4.

An open cell reticulated foam structure having a MAX phase ceramic material infiltrated at least partially into the foam structure to produce the infiltrated product. The open cell reticulated foam structure can be shaped and sized to the final shape and size of the final product prior to infiltrating with the MAX phase ceramic material. Sintering of the MAX phase ceramic material can be done with pressureless sintering. The final infiltrated product can provide heat shielding to temperatures in excess of 2400° C.

An open cell reticulated foam structure having a MAX phase ceramic material infiltrated at least partially into the foam structure to produce the infiltrated product. The open cell reticulated foam structure can be shaped and sized to the final shape and size of the final product prior to infiltrating with the MAX phase ceramic material. Sintering of the MAX phase ceramic material can be done with pressureless sintering. The final infiltrated product can provide heat shielding to temperatures in excess of 2400° C.

A surface-coated boron nitride sintered body tool is provided, in which at least a cutting edge portion includes a cubic boron nitride sintered body and a coating film formed on a surface of the cubic boron nitride sintered body. The coating film includes an A layer and a B layer. The A layer is formed of columnar crystals each having a particle size of 10 nm or more and 400 nm or less. The B layer is formed of columnar crystals each having a particle size of 5 nm or more and 70 nm or less. The B layer is formed by alternately stacking two or more compound layers having different compositions. The compound layers each have a thickness of 0.5 nm or more and 300 nm or less.