Abstract: Provided is a wear resistant, sintered body made of a binderless carbide, cermet or cemented carbide, e.g., WC, W2C and/or eta-phase, with a grain size less than 6.0 ?m, and less than 6% binder phase (e.g., Co—Ni—Fe). At least some working surfaces of the sintered body are surface treated with a boron yielding method including applying a low viscosity liquid medium having boron or aluminum content and heating at 1200° C. to 1450° C. under a pressure less than atmospheric pressure or a hydrogen containing atmosphere to from a hardness gradient with an increased hardness of the treated working surfaces of at least 50 to 200 HV5 and favorable compressive stresses in a surface zone that gives a tougher working surfaces of the boronized sintered bodies.

Abstract: Provided is a wear resistant, sintered body made of a binderless carbide, cermet or cemented carbide, e.g., WC, W2C and/or eta-phase, with a grain size less than 6.0 ?m, and less than 6% binder phase (e.g., Co—Ni—Fe). At least some working surfaces of the sintered body are surface treated with a boron yielding method including applying a low viscosity liquid medium having boron or aluminum content and heating at 1200° C. to 1450° C. under a pressure less than atmospheric pressure or a hydrogen containing atmosphere to from a hardness gradient with an increased hardness of the treated working surfaces of at least 50 to 200 HV5 and favorable compressive stresses in a surface zone that gives a tougher working surfaces of the boronized sintered bodies.