Disclosed are coatings made of inorganic materials on molds for glass molding, particularly, a graded coating of element diffusion inhibition and adhesion resistance on molds for glass molding. The graded coating includes a Cr adhesion layer which is bonded with a substrate, a CrN intermediate layer and a Cr.sub.xW.sub.yN.sub.(1-x-y) surface layer, where 0.15<x<0.4, and 0.2≤y<0.45. The graded coating has excellent crack growth suppression and adhesion resistance.

An amorphous alloy contains Ni and Nb and has a composition including at least one of: a composition containing Nb with a content in the range of 35.6 atomic % to 75.1 atomic %, Ir with a content in the range of 7.2 atomic % to 52.3 atomic %, and Ni with a content in the range of 4.0 atomic % to 48.5 atomic %; a composition containing Nb with a content in the range of 19.6 atomic % to 80.9 atomic %, Re with a content in the range of 7.4 atomic % to 59.2 atomic %, and Ni with a content in the range of 4.1 atomic % to 56.9 atomic %; and a composition containing Nb with a content in the range of 7.5 atomic % to 52.9 atomic %, W with a content in the range of 16.4 atomic % to 47.0 atomic %, and Ni with a content in the range of 22.0 atomic % to 53.3 atomic %.

An amorphous alloy contains Ni and Nb and has a composition including at least one of: a composition containing Nb with a content in the range of 35.6 atomic % to 75.1 atomic %, Ir with a content in the range of 7.2 atomic % to 52.3 atomic %, and Ni with a content in the range of 4.0 atomic % to 48.5 atomic %; a composition containing Nb with a content in the range of 19.6 atomic % to 80.9 atomic %, Re with a content in the range of 7.4 atomic % to 59.2 atomic %, and Ni with a content in the range of 4.1 atomic % to 56.9 atomic %; and a composition containing Nb with a content in the range of 7.5 atomic % to 52.9 atomic %, W with a content in the range of 16.4 atomic % to 47.0 atomic %, and Ni with a content in the range of 22.0 atomic % to 53.3 atomic %.

Described are glass-forming molds made of a graphite mold body and a coating formed by atomic layer deposition, with the coating being made of alumina or a combination of alumina and yttria.

Disclosed are coatings made of inorganic materials on molds for glass molding, particularly, a graded coating of element diffusion inhibition and adhesion resistance on molds for glass molding. The graded coating includes a Cr adhesion layer which is bonded with a substrate, a CrN intermediate layer and a Cr.sub.xW.sub.yN.sub.(1-x-y) surface layer, where 0.15<x<0.4, and 0.2y<0.45. The graded coating has excellent crack growth suppression and adhesion resistance.

An amorphous alloy contains Ni and Nb and has a composition including at least one of: a composition containing Nb with a content in the range of 35.6 atomic % to 75.1 atomic %, Ir with a content in the range of 7.2 atomic % to 52.3 atomic %, and Ni with a content in the range of 4.0 atomic % to 48.5 atomic %; a composition containing Nb with a content in the range of 19.6 atomic % to 80.9 atomic %, Re with a content in the range of 7.4 atomic % to 59.2 atomic %, and Ni with a content in the range of 4.1 atomic % to 56.9 atomic %; and a composition containing Nb with a content in the range of 7.5 atomic % to 52.9 atomic %, W with a content in the range of 16.4 atomic % to 47.0 atomic %, and Ni with a content in the range of 22.0 atomic % to 53.3 atomic %.

Described are glass-forming molds made of a graphite mold body and a coating formed by atomic layer deposition, with the coating being made of alumina or a combination of alumina and yttria.

An amorphous alloy contains Ni and Nb and has a composition including at least one of: a composition containing Nb with a content in the range of 35.6 atomic % to 75.1 atomic %, Ir with a content in the range of 7.2 atomic % to 52.3 atomic %, and Ni with a content in the range of 4.0 atomic % to 48.5 atomic %; a composition containing Nb with a content in the range of 19.6 atomic % to 80.9 atomic %, Re with a content in the range of 7.4 atomic % to 59.2 atomic %, and Ni with a content in the range of 4.1 atomic % to 56.9 atomic %; and a composition containing Nb with a content in the range of 7.5 atomic % to 52.9 atomic %, W with a content in the range of 16.4 atomic % to 47.0 atomic %, and Ni with a content in the range of 22.0 atomic % to 53.3 atomic %.

An amorphous alloy contains Ni and Nb and has a composition including at least one of: a composition containing Nb with a content in the range of 35.6 atomic % to 75.1 atomic %, Ir with a content in the range of 7.2 atomic % to 52.3 atomic %, and Ni with a content in the range of 4.0 atomic % to 48.5 atomic %; a composition containing Nb with a content in the range of 19.6 atomic % to 80.9 atomic %, Re with a content in the range of 7.4 atomic % to 59.2 atomic %, and Ni with a content in the range of 4.1 atomic % to 56.9 atomic %; and a composition containing Nb with a content in the range of 7.5 atomic % to 52.9 atomic %, W with a content in the range of 16.4 atomic % to 47.0 atomic %, and Ni with a content in the range of 22.0 atomic % to 53.3 atomic %.

Refractory glass-forming tools, including glass-forming molds incorporating protective metal nitride surface coatings, with optional alumina barrier layers disposed between the mold bodies and coating for high-temperature nitride coating stability, offering particular advantages for the manufacture by direct molding of optically finished glass products such as information display cover glasses from refractory alkali aluminosilicate glasses at molding temperatures up to and above 800 C.