Abstract: Polycrystalline material comprising a plurality of nano-grains of a crystalline phase of an iron group element and a plurality of crystalline grains of material including carbon (C) or nitrogen (N); each nano-grain having a mean size less than 10 nanometres.

Abstract: A cemented carbide material comprises WC, between around 3 to around 10 wt. % Co and between around 0.5 to around 8 wt. % Re. The equivalent total carbon (ETC) content of the cemented carbide material with respect to WC is between around 6.3 wt. % to around 6.9 wt. % and the cemented carbide material is substantially free of eta-phase and free carbon. There is also disclosed a method of producing such a material and use of such a material.

Abstract: A cemented carbide material comprises WC, between around 3 to around 10 wt. % Co and between around 0.5 to around 8 wt. % Re. The equivalent total carbon (ETC) content of the cemented carbide material with respect to WC is between around 6.3 wt. % to around 6.9 wt. % and the cemented carbide material is substantially free of eta-phase and free carbon. There is also disclosed a method of producing such a material and use of such a material.

Abstract: A strike tip (100) for a pick tool, comprising a strike structure (120) joined to a substrate (110) at an interface boundary (115), the strike structure (120) comprising or consisting or super-hard material and the substrate (110) comprising or consisting of carbide material; the strike tip having a proximate strike end (117) coterminous with the super-hard material and a distal end (118) defined by the substrate (110), a side connecting the strike and distal ends; the strike end (117) including a flat apex area (150) and an outer area extending from the apex to the side. The apex area (150) is substantially less than the outer area, and is at least 1 square millimeter and at most 25 square millimeters.

Abstract: A polycrystalline diamond composite compact element comprises a body of polycrystalline diamond material and a cemented carbide substrate bonded to the body of polycrystalline material. The cemented carbide substrate has tungsten carbide particles bonded together by a binder material comprising an alloy of Co, Ni and Cr. The tungsten carbide particles form between 70 weight percent and 95 weight percent of the substrate. The binder material comprises between about 10 to 50 wt. % Ni, between about 0.1 to 10 wt. % Cr, and the remainder weight percent comprising Co. The size distribution of the tungsten carbide particles in the substrate has fewer than 17 percent of the carbide particles with a grain size of equal to or less than about 0.3 microns, between about 20 to 28 percent of the tungsten carbide particles having a grain size of between about 0.3 to 0.5 microns; between about 42 to 56 percent of the tungsten carbide particles having a grain size of between about 0.

Abstract: A pick tool (100) comprising a strike member (110) non-moveably attached to a pick body (120), the strike member comprising a strike structure. The strike structure comprises super-hard material and defines a planar strike surface (112), the strike surface defining a cutting edge (114) that includes an apex (115) in the plane of the strike surface (112). The thickness of at least a proximate volume (107) of the strike structure adjacent the cutting edge (114) is at least about 2 millimeters.

Abstract: A pick assembly is provided, comprising a bit assembly and a holder assembly; the bit assembly comprising a bit support body, a fastener mechanism and a deflectable member, cooperatively configured such the deflectable member can be deflected responsive to the progressive coupling of the bit support body to the fastener mechanism. The holder assembly comprises a holder body and is configured for accommodating and retaining the bit assembly by interference means. The holder assembly and bit assembly are cooperatively configured such that the retention of the bit assembly by the holder assembly by interference means can be progressively increased responsive to the progressive coupling of the bit support body with the fastener mechanism when the bit assembly is accommodated by the holder assembly, operative to prevent substantial movement of the bit support body relative to the holder body in use.

Abstract: The invention relates to hard-metal body comprising a hard-metal, the hard-metal comprising tungsten carbide grains and metal binder comprising cobalt having a concentration of tungsten dissolved therein, the body comprising a surface region adjacent a surface and a core region remote from the surface, the surface region and the core region being contiguous with each other; the mean binder fraction of the core region being greater than that of the surface region; the mean carbon concentration within the binder being higher in the surface region than in the core region; to tools comprising same and methods of making same.

Abstract: A pick tool comprising a super-hard strike tip, a base and a unitary cemented carbide support body comprising a head portion including an overhang portion, and an insertion shaft extending from the head portion, a surface of the overhang portion extending laterally from the insertion shaft; the strike tip is attached to the head portion of the support body and the base is provided with a bore into which the insertion shaft is shrink fitted; the base has an external surface adjacent the bore and overhang portion of the head portion is configured to extend over at least an area of the external surface operative to shield the area from wear when in use.

Abstract: A pick tool assembly (100) comprises a strike tip (210), a holder (230) and a reversible attachment mechanism 245, 350) for coupling the strike tip (210) to the holder (230), in which the strike tip (210) comprises a strike surface including an apex. The pick tool assembly (100) will be configured such that the strike tip (210) can be non-moveably coupled to the holder (230) in a plurality of mutually opposite orientations relative to the holder, the orientations being about a symmetry axis (L) through the apex. The attachment mechanism will limit the opposite orientations (245-ii, 245-ii) to being at least about 160 degrees azimuthally apart, and be configured such that the strike tip (210) may be coupled to the holder assembly (230) in either of two and only two mutually opposite orientations.

Abstract: Cemented carbide material comprising tungsten carbide (WC) material in particulate form having a mean grain size D in terms of equivalent circle diameter of at least 0.5 microns and at most 10 microns, and a binder phase comprising cobalt (Co) of at least 5 weight per cent and at most 12 weight per cent, W being present in the binder at a content of at least 10 weight per cent of the binder material; the content of the WC material being at least 75 weight per cent and at most 95 weight per cent; and nanoparticles dispersed in the binder material, the nanoparticles comprising material according to the formula CoxWyCz, where X is a value in the range from 1 to 7, Y is a value in the range from 1 to 10 and Z is a value in the range from 0 to 4; the nanoparticles having a mean particle size at most 10 nm, at least 10 per cent of the nanoparticles having size of at most 5 nm; the cemented carbide material having a magnetic coercive force in the units kA/m of at least ?2.1XD+14.

Abstract: A cemented carbide material comprises WC, between around 3 to around 10 wt. % Co and between around 0.5 to around 8 wt. % Re. The equivalent total carbon (ETC) content of the cemented carbide material with respect to WC is between around 6.3 wt. % to around 6.9 wt. % and the cemented carbide material is substantially free of eta-phase and free carbon. There is also disclosed a method of producing such a material and use of such a material.

Abstract: Cemented carbide material comprising tungsten carbide (WC) material in particulate form having a mean grain size D in terms of equivalent circle diameter of at least 0.5 microns and at most 10 microns, and a binder phase comprising cobalt (Co) of at least 5 weight per cent and at most 12 weight per cent, W being present in the binder at a content of at least 10 weight per cent of the binder material; the content of the WC material being at least 75 weight per cent and at most 95 weight per cent; and nanoparticles dispersed in the binder material, the nanoparticles comprising material according to the formula CoxWyCz, where X is a value in the range from 1 to 7, Y is a value in the range from 1 to 10 and Z is a value in the range from 0 to 4; the nanoparticles having a mean particle size at most 10 nm, at least 10 per cent of the nanoparticles having size of at most 5 nm; the cemented carbide material having a magnetic coercive force in the units kA/m of at least ?2.1×D+14.

Abstract: A pick assembly is provided, comprising a bit assembly and a holder assembly; the bit assembly comprising a bit support body, a fastener mechanism and a deflectable member, cooperatively configured such the deflectable member can be deflected responsive to the progressive coupling of the bit support body to the fastener mechanism. The holder assembly comprises a holder body and is configured for accommodating and retaining the bit assembly by interference means. The holder assembly and bit assembly are cooperatively configured such that the retention of the bit assembly by the holder assembly by interference means can be progressively increased responsive to the progressive coupling of the bit support body with the fastener mechanism when the bit assembly is accommodated by the holder assembly, operative to prevent substantial movement of the bit support body relative to the holder body in use.

Abstract: A pick tool (100) comprising a strike member (110) non-moveably attached to a pick body (120), the strike member comprising a strike structure. The strike structure comprises super-hard material and defines a planar strike surface (112), the strike surface defining a cutting edge (114) that includes an apex (115) in the plane of the strike surface (112). The thickness of at least a proximate volume (107) of the strike structure adjacent the cutting edge (114) is at least about 2 millimetres.

Abstract: A method for making a treated super-hard structure, the method including providing a super-hard structure comprising super-hard material selected from polycrystalline cubic boron nitride (PCBN) material or thermally stable polycrystalline diamond (PCD) material; subjecting the super-hard structure to heat treatment at a treatment temperature of greater than 700 degrees centigrade at a treatment pressure at which the super-hard material is not thermodynamically stable, for a treatment period of at least about 5 minutes to produce the treated super-hard structure.

Abstract: A strike tip (100) for a pick tool, comprising a strike structure (120) joined to a substrate (110) at an interface boundary (115), the strike structure (120) comprising or consisting or super-hard material and the substrate (110) comprising or consisting of carbide material; the strike tip having a proximate strike end (117) coterminous with the super-hard material and a distal end (118) defined by the substrate (110), a side connecting the strike and distal ends; the strike end (117) including a flat apex area (150) and an outer area extending from the apex to the side. The apex area (150) is substantially less than the outer area, and is at least 1 square millimetre and at most 25 square millimetres.

Abstract: A pick assembly (100) comprising a pick tool (200), a pick holder (300) and a rotatable drive means (400); in which the pick holder is attached to the rotatable drive means and the pick tool comprises a base (220) and a strike element (210) capable of being attached to the base, the strike element comprising a strike tip (212) defining a strike tip axis (213) and the base capable of being attached to the pick holder; the pick holder and pick tool being configured in relation to the drive means operative to the strike tip axis being oriented to within a strike angle of at most 5 degrees with a strike plane on which the strike tip will travel when driven by the drive means.

Abstract: A pick tool for pavement degradation or mining, comprising an insert and a holder, the insert comprising a super-hard strike tip joined to a proximate end of an insertion shaft. The insertion shaft is secured by an interference fit within a bore provided in the holder, the insertion shaft having a longitudinal axis and a distal end of the insertion shaft positioned at an insertion depth within the bore. A wear limit marker is provided on an external surface of the holder and positioned to correspond to an axial distance along the insertion shaft from the distal end, the distance being at least 20 percent and at most 35 percent of the insertion depth.