Abstract: A stiffness controlled abradable seal system for a gas turbine engine includes a cantilevered arm that supports one of a rotating seal surface and a static seal surface, a stiffness of the cantilevered arm controlled to achieve a desired operational temperature at a seal interface, and an optimally matched abradeable seal material with required thermo-physical and friction properties to enable desired wear mechanisms and maximized sealing and durability.

Abstract: Provided is a valve seat insert made of an iron-base sintered alloy, in which a base matrix part that includes a base matrix phase and hard particles, has a base matrix part composition containing, in % by mass, 0.5%-2.0% of carbon and 10%-70% in total of one kind or two or more kinds selected from nickel, cobalt, chromium, molybdenum, vanadium, tungsten, manganese, silicon and sulfur, with the balance being iron and unavoidable impurities, and Co-base hard particles having a composition containing, 1.0% or less of C, 25%-50% of Mo, 5%-15% of Cr, Si as an impurity in a content adjusted to be 0.3% or less, with the balance being Co, and having a Vickers hardness of 500 to 1,500 HV, are dispersed as hard particles in the base matrix phase in an amount of 10%-60% by mass with respect to the total amount of the valve seat insert.

Abstract: A cermet contains hard phase particles containing Ti and a binding phase containing at least one of Ni and Co. 70% or more of the hard phase particles have a cored structure containing a core and a peripheral portion around the core. The core is composed mainly of at least one of Ti carbide, Ti nitride, and Ti carbonitride. The peripheral portion is composed mainly of a Ti composite compound containing Ti and at least one selected from W, Mo, Ta, Nb, and Cr. The core has an average particle size ?, the peripheral portion has an average particle size ?, and ? and ? satisfy 1.1??/??1.7. The hard phase particles in the cermet have an average particle size of more than 1.0 ?m.

Abstract: A cermet contains hard phase particles containing Ti and a binding phase containing at least one of Ni and Co, and 70% or more (by number) of the hard phase particles have a cored structure containing a core and a peripheral portion around the core. The core is composed mainly of at least one of Ti carbide, Ti nitride, and Ti carbonitride, and the peripheral portion is composed mainly of a Ti composite compound containing Ti and at least one selected from W, Mo, Ta, Nb, and Cr. The core has an average particle size ?, the peripheral portion has an average particle size ?, and ? and ? satisfy 1.1??/??1.7.

Abstract: A sintered alloy for a valve seat may be manufactured using a method including: mixing MnS with an alloy powder for a valve seat including C at 0.8-1.2 wt %, Ni at 2.0-4.5 wt %, Cr at 3.0-5.0 wt %, Mo at 16.0-20.0 wt %, Co at 9.0-13.0 wt %, V at 0.05-0.15 wt %, S at 0.2-0.8 wt %, Fe, and additional inevitable impurities; making a first shape by forming the mixed materials; pre-sintering the first formed shape; making a secondary shape by re-pressing the first pre-sintered shape; main-sintering the secondary shape; and tempering the main-sintered secondary shape.

Abstract: A polycrystalline compact comprises a plurality of grains of hard material and a plurality of nanoparticles disposed in interstitial spaces between the plurality of grains of hard material. The plurality of nanoparticles has a thermal conductivity less than a thermal conductivity of the plurality of grains of hard material. An earth-boring tool comprises such a polycrystalline compact. A method of forming a polycrystalline compact comprises combining a plurality of hard particles and a plurality of nanoparticles to form a mixture and sintering the mixture to form a polycrystalline hard material comprising a plurality of interbonded grains of hard material. A method of forming a cutting element comprises infiltrating interstitial spaces between interbonded grains of hard material in a polycrystalline material with a plurality of nanoparticles. The plurality of nanoparticles have a lower thermal conductivity than the interbonded grains of hard material.

Abstract: In one aspect, cemented carbide bodies are provided. A cemented carbide body described herein, in some embodiments, comprises a tungsten carbide phase, a binder phase comprising at least one metal of the iron group or an alloy thereof, a solid solution phase of carbides of zirconium and niobium (Zr,Nb)C and cubic carbides in an amount ranging from about 0.5 volume percent to about 6 volume percent.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a composite material for the production of ecological ammunition characterized in that it comprises a) a metal matrix formed by a zinc and bismuth alloy, zinc and aluminum alloy, tin and bismuth alloy or zinc and tin alloy and a metal selected from aluminum, bismuth and the combination thereof and b) reinforcing metal particles distributed therein selected from wolframium, ferro-wolframium, ferro-wolframium carbides, wolframium carbides, wolframium oxides and ferro-wolframium oxides, subjected to oxidation before being added to the metal matrix.

Abstract: A ferrous sintered multilayer roll-formed bushing having a ferrous sintered sliding material layer which is sinter-bonded to a back metal steel, wherein the ferrous sintered sliding material layer is produced in such a manner that a Fe—C—Cu—Sn based sintered sliding material mixed powder containing at least carbon of 0.40 to 15 wt %, Cu of 13 to 40 wt % and Sn of 0.5 to 10 wt % is preliminarily sinter-bonded to said back metal steel and then finally sinter-bonded by a liquid-phase sintering at high temperatures higher than 1000° C. after bending into a roll.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of producing a cemented carbide body comprising providing: (1) a grain refiner compound comprising a grain refiner and carbon and/or nitrogen, and, (2) a grain growth promoter, on at least one portion of the surface of a compact of a WC-based starting material comprising one or more hard-phase components and a binder, and then sintering the compact. The invention also relates to a cemented carbide body comprising a WC-based hard phase and a binder phase, wherein at least one part of an intermediate surface zone has a lower average binder content than a part further into the body, and at least one part of an upper surface zone has in average a larger average WC grain size than the intermediate surface zone. The cemented carbide body can be used as a cutting tool insert for metal machining, an insert for a mining tool, or a coldforming tool.

Abstract: Provided are a composite powder of a metal and carbide (carbonitride) for a structural material, a sintered body, and methods of preparing the composite powder and sintered body. The composite powder for a structural member has a composition of M1-x % M2C, M1-x % (M2,M1)C, M1-x % M2(CN), or M1-x % (M2,M1)(CN). A matrix-phase metal M1 is one selected from tungsten (W) and molybdenum (Mo) of the periodic table of the elements, an accessory-phase metal M2 is one selected from the group consisting of Group-IV to Group-VI metals of the periodic table of the elements and forms a carbide or carbonitride having an average particle size of about 1 ?m or less, and the matrix-phase metal M1 and the accessory-phase metal M2 coexist due to a reaction.

Abstract: A method for producing a cemented carbide material includes producing an M3C type double carbide (wherein M comprises M1 and M2; M1 represents one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, and W; and M2 represents one or more elements selected from the group consisting of Fe, Co and Ni) as a main component of the surface portion; reducing heat treating the compact at a vacuum atmosphere; carburizing the resulting WC—Co compact at a temperature of 800 to 1100° C.; subjecting the carburized compact to liquid phase sintering at a temperature of more than 1350° C. to form a sintered body; and coating a surface layer of the sintered body with a compound containing boron and/or silicon and subjecting the coated sintered body to a diffusion heat treatment at a temperature within a range from 1200 to 1350° C.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a lightweight, anti-scratch and fracture resistant material for use in manufacture of jewelry prepared by sintering a powered mixture consisting essentially of 20% by weight of titanium carbide, 25% by weight of tungsten carbide, 35% by weight of titanium nitride, and balance being a binder consisting essentially of nickel, molybdenum and cobalt.

Abstract: A sintered sliding member comprises a back metal (21a) and a ferrous sintered sliding body (20) which is sintering-bonded to the back metal (21a). The ferrous sintered sliding body (20) has martensite phase having a solid soluble carbon concentration of 0.15 to 0.5 wt % and contains carbide in a content of 5 to 50% by volume. The sintered sliding member is excellent in abrasion resistance, seizing resistance and heat crack resistance.

Abstract: Disclosed are a solid-solution powder, a method for preparing the solid-solution powder, a cermet powder including the solid-solution powder, a method for preparing the cermet powder, a cermet using the cermet powder and a method to prepare the cermet. According to the present invention, the problem of low toughness due to high hardness that conventional cermets (especially TiC or Ti(CN) based cermet) have is resolved because a complete solid-solution phase without core/rim structure is provided to the cermets as a microstructure thereof, and in which further increased the hardness as well as the toughness, thereby substantially and considerably increasing general mechanical properties of materials using the cermet, and thus substituting WC—Co hard material and allowing manufacturing of cutting tools with high hardness and toughness.

Abstract: The present invention provides a WC—Co system (the WC—Co system in the present invention means that it comprises not only hard grains composed mainly of WC and iron group metal powder containing Co, but also at least one kind selected from carbide, nitride, carbonitride and boride of elements in Groups IVa, Va and VIa of the Periodic Table, excluding WC, as hard grains) cemented carbide having high strength and high toughness which is excellent in wear resistance, toughness, chipping resistance and thermal crack resistance.

Abstract: The invention relates to a thermal spray feedstock composition that employs free flowing agglomerates formed from (a) a ceramic component that sublimes,(b) a metallic or semi-conductor material that does not sublime and (c) a binder. The invention also relates to a method for preparing the agglomerates and a method for preparing ceramic containing composite structures from the agglomerates.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a cutting tool insert for turning consisting of a cemented carbide substrate and a coating. The cemented carbide substrate comprises WC, binder phase, and vanadium containing cubic carbide phase with a binder phase enriched surface zone essentially free of cubic carbide phase. The thermal properties of the vanadium-containing cubic phase, has turned out to give excellent resistance to thermal cracking of the insert.

Abstract: The invention is suitable for the manufacture of flat or shaped titanium matrix composite articles having improved mechanical properties such as lightweight plates and sheets for aircraft and automotive applications, etc. The method for manufacturing TMCC is comprised of the following steps: (a) preparing a basic powdered blend containing matrix alloy or titanium powders, dispersing ceramic and/or intermetallic powders, and powders of said complex carbide- and/or silicide particles, (b) preparing the Al—V master alloy containing ?5 wt. % of iron, (c) preparing the Al—V—Fe master alloy fine powder having a particle size of ?20 ?m, (d) mixing the basic powdered blend with the master alloy powder to obtain a chemical composition of TMCC, (e) compacting the powder mixture at room temperature, (f) sintering at the temperature which provides at least partial dissolution of dispersed powders, (g) forging at 1500-2300° F., and (h) cooling.

Abstract: A cutting tool comprised of a cemented carbide is provided. The cemented carbide is consisted of a composition including: a predetermined amount of at least one selected from specific carbide, nitride, and carbon nitride, except for cobalt and niobium; 0.01 to 0.08 mass % of oxygen; and the rest consisted of tungsten carbide and unavoidable impurities. The cemented carbide is further made up of a structure in which a tungsten carbide phase and a B1-type solid solution phase being expressed by M(CNO) or M(CO) where “M” is at least one selected from the group consisting of metals of the group IV, V, and VI in the periodic table, containing niobium as being essential, and containing oxygen at a rate of 1 to 4 atomic % are bound by a binder phase composed mainly of the cobalt. This achieves the cutting tool having a long tool life in high-speed interrupted cutting.

Abstract: A turbomachinery component includes a substrate having a surface, the surface consisting essentially of at least one composite of at least one metal and at least one compound having the chemical formula Mn+1AXn, wherein M is at least one early transition metal selected from groups IIIB, IVB, VB, and VIB, A is at least one element selected from groups IIIA, IVA, VA, VIA, and VIIA, X is one or both of carbon and nitrogen, and n is an integer between 1 and 3. The component is made by compressing a powdered material to form a substrate that consists essentially of the composite and sintering the substrate, or by coating a substrate with the composite.

Abstract: Provided is a process for producing electrode catalyst fine particles capable of affording formed catalysts such as membranes excellent in uniformity and strength and also employable as catalyst to exhibit high catalytic activity over long periods because fine metal particles are highly distributed on carriers to make particle growth or the like less likely to occur. Electrode catalyst fine particles comprise fine particles which have an average particle diameter of 10 nm to 10 ?m and in which fine metal particles are supported on carrier particles, wherein a potential difference (absolute value of (II) minus (I)) between a flow potential (I) of a water dispersion of the fine metal particles at 1 wt % concentration and a pH of 3 to 8 and a flow potential (II) of a water dispersion of the carrier particles at 1 wt % concentration and a pH of 4 to 10, is in the range of 10 to 3000 mV.

Abstract: A cutting tool comprised of a cemented carbide is provided. The cemented carbide is consisted of a composition including: a predetermined amount of at least one selected from specific carbide, nitride, and carbon nitride, except for cobalt and niobium; 0.01 to 0.08 mass % of oxygen; and the rest consisted of tungsten carbide and unavoidable impurities. The cemented carbide is further made up of a structure in which a tungsten carbide phase and a B1-type solid solution phase being expressed by M(CNO) or M(CO) where “M” is at least one selected from the group consisting of metals of the group IV, V, and VI in the periodic table, containing niobium as being essential, and containing oxygen at a rate of 1 to 4 atomic % are bound by a binder phase composed mainly of the cobalt. This achieves the cutting tool having a long tool life in high-speed interrupted cutting.

Abstract: The present invention relates to the PVD coated tungsten carbide (WC) based cemented cutting inserts with ruthenium (Ru) as a key chemical element, or a key feature, in the cobalt (Co)-based binder phase, particularly useful for machining today's mold & die materials. In the Ru—Co mixed binder phase in the tungsten carbide substrate, the ratio of Ru/Co is at least 3%, by weight. The Ru-featured carbide cutting insert provided in this invention is PVD coated with one or more layers by a modern PVD coating technology. The development of the PVD coated Ru-featured carbide cutting inserts provided in this invention is based on a discovery that the unique combination of PVD coating techniques and Ru-featured carbide cutting inserts demonstrates superior machining performance in today's mold & die machining applications.

Abstract: The invention proposes a fine grained sintered cemented carbide containing chromium and based on WC and a binder based on Co or CoNiFe, and having at least one additional phase comprising at least one carbide or mixed carbide of tantalum. For improving the high-temperature properties while simultaneously maintaining a good trade-off between hardness and bending strength, it is proposed that the sintered cemented carbide contains approximately 0.3 to 4% Ta, as related to the total mass of the sintered cemented carbide, that the WC has a grain size of between 0.1 and 1.3 ?m, that the binder phase contains the metals W, Cr and Ta, dissolved in solid solution, and that the at least one additional phase comprises a TaC phase visible by optical microscopy. The invention further relates to a powder-metallurgical process for manufacturing the sintered cemented carbide and to the use of the sintered cemented carbide for manufacturing cutting tools having improved high-temperature properties.

Abstract: A cemented carbide with excellent properties for oil and gas applications regarding resistance to the combined erosion and corrosion synergistic effects at temperatures between ?50 and 300° C. and toughness. This object has been achieved with a cemented carbide containing, in weight %, 8-12 Co+Ni with a weight ratio Co/Ni of 0.25-4, 1-2 Cr and 0.1-0.3 Mo wherein essentially all of the WC grains have a size <1 ?m and with a magnetic cobalt content between 80 and 90% of that chemically determined.

Abstract: A carbonaceous refractory material is produced by adding an organic binder to a mixture containing a carbonaceous material comprising a carbonaceous raw material comprising calcined anthracite, calcined coke, artificial graphite or natural graphite or a mixture thereof at 50 to 85% as the principal raw material, alumina particle at 5 to 15%, metal silicon particle at 5 to 15%, and one or two or more of titanium carbide powder, titanium nitride powder and titanium carbonitride powder at 5 to 20% in total, kneading and molding the resulting mixture and baking the molded article under non-oxidizing atmosphere. By using the carbonaceous refractory material as the inner lining material for the side wall and bottom of blast furnace hearth, the consumption of the inner lining material due to the dissolution thereof in melted pig iron can be decreased, and simultaneously, the abrasion due to the flow of melted pig iron can be decreased, which works to prolong the life of the blast furnace.

Abstract: The cutting member comprises WC, two or more solid solutions of WC and compounds selected from carbides, nitrides and carbonitrides of metals of the groups 4a, 5a and 6a in the Periodic Table, and at least one metal of the iron group; and at least one of the two or more solid solutions being a solid solution having a high Nb or Zr content, whereby the wear resistance and plastic deformation resistance are improved in case of cutting hardly machinable materials such as stainless steel, thereby making it possible to prolong the service life of the cutting member.

Abstract: A preform for use in a metal matrix composite, particularly for a magnesium metal composite. In the preform the reinforcing material typically is silicon carbide, boron nitride, titanium nitride, carbon or graphite. The binder used in the preform is sintered magnesium fluoride, which avoids the known problems which result from the high reactivity of molten magnesium metal with other binders, such as silica and alumina, which results in the formation of magnesium oxide in the reinforced composite. The presence of magnesium oxide crystals in the metal matrix adversely affects the properties of the composite. The preform generally has a void volume of from about 50% to about 95%.

Abstract: The present invention develops a manufacture method, via conventional liquid metallurgy, of finished and semi-finished metallic parts as casting, ingot, blooms and slabs in alloys base Fe, base Ni and base Co, microstructurally reinforced with complex molybdenum and titanium carbide particles, by means of their previous elaboration and latter addition to the molten alloy in the melting furnace. Then, when the alloy solidifies, they are inserted and distributed within the grains of the base metallic matrix, enhancing their mechanical properties and behavior at room as well as at high temperatures.

Abstract: Cermets are provided in which a substantially stoichiometric metal carbide ceramic phase along with a reprecipitated metal carbide phase, represented by the formula MxCy, is dispersed in a metal binder phase. In MxCy M is Cr, Fe, Ni, Co, Si, Ti, Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Mo or mixtures thereof, x and y are whole or fractional numerical values with x ranging from 1 to 30 and y from 1 to 6. These cermets are particularly useful in protecting surfaces from erosion and corrosion at high temperatures.

Abstract: There is provided a cemented carbide comprising a hard phase component which comprises a tungsten carbide (WC) and at least one selected from carbides, nitrides and carbonitrides of metals of the groups 4a, 5a and 6a in the periodic table; and a binder phase component comprising at least one of iron-group metals, wherein the surface region of the cemented carbide has 90-98% of the minimum hardness as compared with internal hardness, thereby having high hardness and toughness which is suitable to using as a cutting tool.

Abstract: Hardmetal compositions each including hard particles having a first material and a binder matrix having a second, different material comprising rhenium or a Ni-based superalloy. A two-step sintering process may be used to fabricate such hardmetals at relatively low sintering temperatures in the solid-state phase to produce substantially fully-densified hardmetals.

Abstract: A cutting tool insert has a cemented carbide substrate and a coating. The cemented carbide substrate includes 73-93 wt % WC, 4-12 wt % binder phase, and cubic carbide phase with a binder phase enriched surface zone essentially free of cubic carbide phase. The cubic carbide phase includes elements from the groups IVB and VB, with the Ta content on a level corresponding to a technical impurity. Inserts according to the invention exhibit favorable edge strength and thermal shock resistance.

Abstract: A compact is obtained from a mixed powder of a multi-component system ceramics composed of constitutive elements of at least two metal elements selected from the group consisting of Ti, Al, V, Nb, Zr, Hf, Mo, Ta, Cr, and W, N, and optionally C; and Fe, Ni, Co, or an alloy composed of a constitutive element of at least one metal element of Fe, Ni, and Co. A composite material is prepared by sintering the compact.

Abstract: A sintered alloy for valve seats is comprised of carbon at 1 to 2 percent by weight, chromium at 3.5 to 4.7 percent by weight, molybdenum at 4.5 to 6.5 percent by weight, tungsten at 5.2 to 7.0 percent by weight, vanadium at 1.5 to 3.2 percent by weight, and the remainder of iron and unavoidable impurities. Enstatite particles at 1 to 3 percent by weight, hard alloy particles (A) with a Vickers hardness of 500 to 900 at 15 to 25 percent by weight, and hard alloy particles (B) with a Vickers hardness of 1000 or more at 5 to 15 percent by weight (A+B=35 percent by weight or less) are dispersed in the matrix of the sintered alloy skeleton distributed with carbide. Copper or copper alloy at 15 to 20 percent by weight is infiltrated into pores of the skeleton.

Abstract: A cutting tool insert has a cemented carbide substrate and a coating. The cemented carbide substrate includes 73-93 wt % WC, 4-12 wt % binder phase, and cubic carbide phase with a binder phase enriched surface zone essentially free of cubic carbide phase. The cubic carbide phase includes elements from the groups IVB and VB, with the Ta content on a level corresponding to a technical impurity. Inserts according to the invention exhibit favorable edge strength and thermal shock resistance.

Abstract: The present invention relates to a method of making ultrafine WC—Co alloys from a well dispersed mixture of fine and non-agglomerated WC and Co powders, wherein the Co powders have a narrow grain size distribution wherein at least 80% of the grains have sizes in the interval x+0.2x with the interval of variation of 0.4x is not smaller than 0.1 um, and a carbon content of approximately the amount necessary to provide eta phase formation.

Abstract: A TiCN-based cermet comprises 5-25 weight % of a binder phase mainly composed of Co and/or Ni, the balance being substantially a hard phase and inevitable impurities, the hard phase being mainly composed of carbide, nitride and/or carbonitride and containing at least Ti and W, the cermet having a cross-section microstructure in which the number of Ti-rich particles having an area of 0.02 &mgr;m2 or more is 1000 or less per a unit area of 1000 &mgr;m2.

Abstract: There is proposed a tool with a tool body and a wear resistant layer system, which layer system comprises at least one layer of MeX. Me comprises titanium and aluminum and X is nitrogen or S carbon. The tool has a tool body of high speed steel (HSS) or of cemented carbide, but it is not a solid carbide end mill and not a solid carbide ball nose mill. in the MeX layer the quotient QI as defined by the ratio of the diffraction intensity I(200) to 1(111) assigned respectively to the (200) and (111) plains in the X ray cdffraction of the material using &thgr;-2&thgr; method is selected to be ≧1. Further, the I(200) is at least twenty times larger than the intensity average noise value, both measured with a well-defined equipment and setting thereof.

Abstract: There is disclosed a cemented carbide containing tungsten carbide, titanium carbide, nickel, molybdenum and chromium. The composition of the materials provides a good resistance to corrosion as well as high hardness and wear resistance. These properties are particularly interesting for the manufacture of pen balls. Ball-point pen balls made with these materials will have steady writing characteristics over a long period of time. This material is particularly suitable when water-based inks are used, because these inks are far more common than oil-based inks.

Abstract: A consolidated complex shaped article having a density of at least about 95 percent of theoretical density is prepared by placing a plurality of separate bodies in an arrangement, such that each separate body is in contact with at least one other separate body to form an aggregate body and wherein at least one of the separate bodies is essentially dense. The material of each separate body is comprised of a ceramic, a cermet or a metal. The aggregate body is then consolidated at a consolidating temperature, superatmospheric pressure and time at temperature and time at superatmospheric pressure sufficient to form a consolidated shaped article. In consolidating the aggregate body, the consolidating temperature is a temperature that fails to form a liquid within at least one separate body and the superatmospheric temperature is applied for at least a portion of the time at the consolidating temperature.

Abstract: In a cemented carbide, at least one compound 3 including a carbide, a nitride or carbo-nitride of at least one component selected from IVa, Va and VIa group elements or a solid solution thereof exists in at least some WC crystal grains 1. Preferably the compound 3 is in the form of compound grains 3 comprising a carbide, a nitride or a carbo-nitride of Ti, Zr, Hf or W or a solid solution thereof, having an average grain diameter smaller than 0.3 &mgr;m. The compound grains make up at most 10% of the cross-sectional area of the WC crystal grains that contain the compound grains, while at least 10% of the total cross-sectional area of the cemented carbide is made up of such WC crystal grains that contain the compound grains.

Abstract: A diamond sintered body having high wear resistance, chipping resistance, shock resistance and thermal conductivity is provided. The diamond sintered body includes sintered diamond particles and a sintering aid as the remainder. The content of the sintered diamond particles is at least 80% by volume and less than 99% by volume. The sintered diamond particles have a particle size in the range from at least 0.1 &mgr;m to at most 70 &mgr;m. The sintered diamond particles next to each other are directly bonded. The sintering aid includes at least one kind selected from tungsten, iron, cobalt and nickel. The percentage of the tungsten in the sintered body is in the range from at least 0.01% by weight to at most 8% by weight.

Abstract: A method for fabricating a triphasic composite such as a WC/Co/diamond composite with a high volume fraction of diamond in a WC/Co matrix. The method involves sintering of a WC/Co powder compact to develop a porous preform, which displays some rigidity and strength, infiltrating the porous preform with a controlled distribution of carbon, and high pressure/high temperature treatment of the carbon-containing WC/Co preform to transform the carbon to diamond. The distribution of diamond in the composite can be functionally graded to provide a WC/Co core and a diamond-enriched surface, wherein all three phases form an interconnected structure in three dimensions. Such a tricontinuous structure combines high strength and toughness with superior wear resistance, making it attractive for applications in machine tools and drill bits.

Abstract: The invention concerns composites substantially consisting of: a cermet material having a binder metal phase of between 5 and 30 mass % and the remainder comprising at least one carbon nitride phase; or a hard metal with a hard material phase of between 70 and 100 %, the remainder being a binder metal phase, with the exception of a WC-Co hard metal, with up to 25 mass % cobalt as binder metal; or a powder-metallurgically produced steel. The invention further concerns a process for producing this composite. In order to improve bending strength and hardness, sintering is carried out in a microwave field.

Abstract: A cemented carbide drill/endmill blank and method of manufacture thereof wherein the drill/endmill includes a core and a surrounding tube with improved technological properties. The difference in Co-content between the core and tube is 1-10 wt-% units and the cubic carbide content is 8-20 wt-% in the tube and 0.5-2 wt-% in the core.

Abstract: Described herein is an SiC-reinforced aluminum alloy composite material of the type having silicon carbide uniformly dispersed in an aluminum alloy matrix containing magnesium as a strengthening element, characterized in that the composite material contains Al4C3 in an amount smaller than 0.5 wt % and residual oxygen in an amount smaller than 0.4 wt %, and has a modulus of elasticity higher than 9000 kgf/mm.sup.2.

Abstract: Since a powder-produced material comprises cerium fluoride, it can exhibit good wear-resistance. The cerium fluoride content may be set in the range of from 0.1 to 22% by weight, in particular, in the range of from 0.1 to 10.0% by weight, based on the total weight of the powder-produced material. The powder-produced material may comprise a ferrous matrix including hard particles, and the ferrous matrix includes cerium fluoride.

Abstract: Methods for making, methods for using and articles comprising cermets, preferably cemented carbides and more preferably tungsten carbide, having at least two regions exhibiting at least one property that differs are discussed. Preferably, the cermets further exhibit a portion that is binder rich and which gradually or smoothly transitions to at least a second region. The multiple-region cermets are particularly useful in compressively loaded application wherein a tensile stress or fatigue limit might otherwise be excessive for monolithic articles. The cermets are manufactured by juxtaposing and densifying at least two powder blends having different properties (e.g., differential carbide grain size, differential carbide chemistry, differential binder content, differential binder chemistry, or any combination of the preceding).