A heterogeneous composite consisting of near-nano ceramic clusters dispersed within a ductile matrix. The composite is formed through the high temperature compaction of a starting powder consisting of a core of ceramic nanoparticles held together with metallic binder. This core is clad with a ductile metal such that when the final powder is consolidated, the ductile metal forms a tough, near-zero contiguity matrix. The material is consolidated using any means that will maintain its heterogeneous structure.

The present invention provides a rare earth hard alloy and a preparation method and application thereof. The rare earth hard alloy includes 6 to 15 wt % of a binding phase and the balance of a hard phase, wherein the binding phase includes 30 to 50 wt % of Ni.sub.3Al, 0.1 to 0.5 wt % of a rare earth element and the balance of Ni. According to the rare earth hard alloy provided by the invention, the Ni—Ni.sub.3Al-rare earth element (e.g., Ni—Ni.sub.3Al—Y)-based binding phase is strengthened by Ni.sub.3Al, and an ordered strengthening phase is formed and is diffused and distributed in the binding phase, such that the rare earth hard alloy has a better high-temperature oxidation resistance, a better room-temperature fracture toughness and a better high-temperature bending strength than a conventional hard alloy.

A system may include a powder source; a powder delivery device; an energy delivery device; and a computing device. The computing device may be configured to: control the powder source to deliver metal powder to the powder delivery device; control the powder delivery device to deliver the metal powder to a surface of an abrasive coating; and control the energy delivery device to deliver energy to at least one of the abrasive coating or the metal powder to cause the metal powder to be joined to the abrasive coating.

A system may include a powder source; a powder delivery device; an energy delivery device; and a computing device. The computing device may be configured to: control the powder source to deliver metal powder to the powder delivery device; control the powder delivery device to deliver the metal powder to a surface of an abrasive coating; and control the energy delivery device to deliver energy to at least one of the abrasive coating or the metal powder to cause the metal powder to be joined to the abrasive coating.

Superhard compacts, assemblies including the same, and methods of using the same are disclosed herein. An example assembly includes at least one superhard compact secured to a support body. The support body includes at least one exterior surface and defines at least one recess extending inwardly from the exterior surface. The recess is configured to receive at least a portion of the superhard compact. The assembly includes at least one magnet that secures the superhard compact to the support body. For example, the magnet may form part of the superhard compact, the support body, or both.

The present disclosure provides downhole tools, methods for three dimensional printing hardfacing on such downhole tools, and systems for implementing such methods.

A cobalt-free, tungsten carbide-based cemented carbide material includes 70-97 wt % of hard substance particles formed at least predominantly by tungsten carbide, and 3-30 wt % of a metallic binder which is an iron-nickel-based alloy. The iron-nickel-based alloy includes at least iron, nickel and chromium, with a ratio of Fe to (Ni+Fe) of 0.70≤Fe/(Fe+Ni)≤0.95; a Cr content of 0.5 wt %≤Cr/(Fe+Ni+Cr) and (i) for the range 0.7≤Fe/(Fe+Ni)≤0.83: Cr/(Fe+Ni+Cr)≤(−0.625*(Fe/(Fe+Ni))+3.2688) wt %; (ii) for the range 0.83≤Fe/(Fe+Ni)≤0.85: Cr/(Fe+Ni+Cr)≤(−27.5*(Fe/(Fe+Ni))+25.575) wt %; and (iii) for the range 0.85≤Fe/(Fe+Ni)≤0.95: Cr/(Fe+Ni+Cr)≤2.2 wt %; an optional Mo content, an optional V content, and unavoidable impurities up to in total not more than 1 wt % of the cemented carbide material.

A metal contact of a residential circuit breaker with ordered ceramic microparticles is provided. The metal contact comprises an electrical contact material comprising a metal alloy and ceramic particles to form a metal matrix composite material. Both materials the metal alloy and the ceramic particles are present together as a metal compound but without forming an alloy. The metal compound is a matrix and reinforcement being the ceramic particles such that first the ceramic particles has a sintering step to get a homogeneous preform for the metal compound being porous with a controlled size obtained by pressing a particle size of about few micrometers of the ceramic particles and then a liquid metal infiltration step to provide a homogenous distribution of the metal alloy and the ceramic particles in a three-dimensional open porous arrangement and the homogenous distribution results in ordered microstructures.

A method of forming a supporting substrate for a cutting element comprises forming a precursor composition comprising discrete WC particles, a binding agent, and discrete particles comprising Co, one or more of Al, Be, Ga, Ge, Si, and Sn, and one or more of C and W. The precursor composition is subjected to a consolidation process to form a consolidated structure including WC particles dispersed in a homogenized binder comprising Co, W, C, and one or more of Al, Be, Ga, Ge, Si, and Sn. A method of forming a cutting element, a cutting element, a related structure, and an earth-boring tool are also described.

The present invention relates to a composite material with a graded or homogeneous matrix, the production method thereof, and the uses of same.