There is described a method of forming an oxidation resistant coating on a cermet comprising tungsten carbide, tungsten boride, or boron carbide and a metallic binder material. The method comprises exposing the cermet to silicon in the presence of an activator to form a mixture, exposing the mixture to an inert gas, and heating the mixture to a temperature T for a time t, thereby forming a coating on the cermet.

A method for additive manufacturing of a composite object containing a bonded network of boron carbide particles and aluminum occupying spaces between boron carbide particles, the method comprising: (i) producing a porous preform constructed of boron carbide by an additive manufacturing process in which particles of boron carbide are bonded together; and (ii) infiltrating molten aluminum, at a temperature of 1000-1400 C., into pores of said porous preform to produce said composite object constructed of boron carbide particles within an aluminum matrix, wherein the boron carbide is present in the composite object in an amount of 30-70 wt. %. The resulting composite material is also herein described.

A cask liner includes a hollow cylinder comprising a boron-containing composition. The hollow cylinder has no longitudinal joints. The hollow cylinder may be formed as a single unit by isostatic pressing, for example by hot isostatic pressing (HIP) of a blend of a boron-containing powder and an aluminum or aluminum alloy powder which is blended by mechanical alloying. Casked nuclear fuel includes a nuclear fuel rod comprising uranium, which is disposed in or extends through the hollow cylinder of the cask liner.

A method for friction stir forming a metal matrix composite (MMC) structure (76). The method includes the step of providing a substrate (12) comprising a metallic material and securing a preformed MMC layer (14, 16) comprising an MMC material in a position overlying at least a portion of the substrate (12). The method further includes the step of friction stirring the preformed MMC layer (14, 16) with a friction stirring tool (50) which includes a rotating probe (56), including locating the probe (56) at a stirring depth at which the probe (56) extends through the preformed MMC layer (14, 16) into a portion of the substrate (12) and passing the tool (50) through the preformed MMC layer (14) at the stirring depth to friction stir the preformed MMC layer (14, 16) and integrate the preformed MMC layer (14, 16) with the substrate (12).

A coated cutting tool, comprising: a substrate; and a coating layer formed on the substrate, wherein the coating layer includes a lower part layer and an upper part layer formed on the lower part layer, the lower part layer has an average thickness of 2.0 m or more and 15.0 m or less, and is formed of a Ti oxycarbonitride layer including a compound having a composition represented by formula (1) below:

Ti(C.sub.1-x-yN.sub.xO.sub.y)(1)

(where, x denotes an atomic ratio of an N element based on a total of a C element, the N element, and an O element, y denotes an atomic ratio of the O element based on a total of the C element, the N element, and the O element, and 0.35x0.60 and 0.01y0.10 are satisfied),
a FWHM of a rocking curve of a plane (4,2,2) of the lower part layer, which is obtained through X-ray diffraction, is 20 or less, the upper part layer is formed of an -aluminum oxide layer having an average thickness of 1.0 m or more and 15.0 m or less, and a FWHM of a rocking curve of a plane (0,0,12) of the upper part layer, which is obtained through X-ray diffraction, is 20 or less.

A cutting tool according to an aspect of the present disclosure includes a shank, a joint, and a cutting portion attached through the joint to the shank. The cutting portion includes a core and a surface portion. The surface portion is disposed around a central axis of the cutting portion to cover an outer circumferential surface of the core. The surface portion includes a cutting edge. The cutting edge is disposed on an outer circumferential surface of the surface portion and formed in a helical shape about the central axis. The surface portion is a composite sintered material including a hard phase formed of a plurality of diamond particles and a plurality of cubic boron nitride particles, and a binder phase forming the remainder.

Provided is a method of producing a composite having high strength and high thermal conductivity. The method includes: an alloy preparation step including preparing an alloy which is a solid solution containing ?-Fe as a solvent and at least one type of ?-phase stabilizing element as a solute; a first mixing step including mixing at least one type of ?-phase stabilizing element in powder form and SiC to prepare a first mixture; a second mixing step including mixing the alloy and the first mixture to prepare a second mixture; and a sintering step including sintering the second mixture.

Provided is a method of producing a composite having high strength and high thermal conductivity. The method includes: an alloy preparation step including preparing an alloy which is a solid solution containing ?-Fe as a solvent and at least one type of ?-phase stabilizing element as a solute; a first mixing step including mixing at least one type of ?-phase stabilizing element in powder form and SiC to prepare a first mixture; a second mixing step including mixing the alloy and the first mixture to prepare a second mixture; and a sintering step including sintering the second mixture.

A hard composite composition may comprise a binder and a polymodal blend of matrix powder. The polymodal blend of matrix powder may have at least one first local maxima at a particle size of about 0.5 nm to about 30 m, at least one second local maxima at a particle size of about 200 m to about 10 mm, and at least one local minima between a particle size of about 30 m to about 200 m that has a value that is less than the first local maxima.

A method for manufacturing a part made from an Al/Al.sub.3B.sub.48C.sub.2 composite material comprising an aluminium matrix in which particles of a mixed carbide of chemical formula Al.sub.3B.sub.48C.sub.2 are dispersed. The method comprises the following steps: a) placing a powder of chemical formula AlB.sub.2 in the cavity of a graphite crucible; b) closing the cavity by use of a graphite element; c) heating the crucible to a temperature of at least 960 C. and less than or equal to 1400 C. in order to obtain the formation of precipitates of the mixed carbide of chemical formula Al.sub.3B.sub.48C.sub.2 in liquid aluminium; d) cooling the crucible in order to solidify the liquid aluminium; e) removing the crucible; thereby the part made from Al/Al.sub.3B.sub.48C.sub.2 composite material is obtained.