A preparation method of cemented carbide with FeCoCu medium-entropy alloy as binding phase is provided. The preparation method includes: 1) preparing FeCoCu precursor powders by solution combustion synthesis; 2) preparing FeCoCu medium-entropy alloy powders by mechanical alloying; 3) evenly mixing the FeCoCu medium-entropy alloy powders with ultra-fine WC powders and a binder to obtain mixed powders and pressing the mixed powders into a shaped green body; 4) preparing a WC-FeCoCu cemented carbide by microwave sintering after removing the binder from the shaped green body. The preparation method reduces sintering temperature and time and obtains a new-type cemented carbide with fine grains, high hardness and good toughness while reducing the cost.

A method of manufacturing a device includes thermally spraying tungsten carbine in feedstock that does not include Cobalt but that includes Nickel, Copper, or a Nickel-Copper alloy, the method improves the base coating toughness, anticorrosion, and antifouling properties for high load application in sea water and brackish water environments. Additionally, a Cobalt-free material lowers material costs and reduces the global demand of Cobalt. Providing a topcoat of a Silicon-doped DLC significantly reduces the topcoat brittleness of common DLC failures such as “egg shell” in high stress applications. Thus, high hardness, low friction applications may be tailored in high stress applications.

A method of manufacturing a device includes thermally spraying tungsten carbine in feedstock that does not include Cobalt but that includes Nickel, Copper, or a Nickel-Copper alloy, the method improves the base coating toughness, anticorrosion, and antifouling properties for high load application in sea water and brackish water environments. Additionally, a Cobalt-free material lowers material costs and reduces the global demand of Cobalt. Providing a topcoat of a Silicon-doped DLC significantly reduces the topcoat brittleness of common DLC failures such as “egg shell” in high stress applications. Thus, high hardness, low friction applications may be tailored in high stress applications.

The present invention relates to a coated cutting tool including a Cr-containing cemented carbide substrate having WC, a binder phase and a gamma phase. The cemented carbide includes a gradient surface zone with a thickness of between 2 to 100 μm, which is binder phase enriched and depleted of gamma phase. The cemented carbide includes M.sub.7C.sub.3 carbides in an amount of between 0.5 to 7 area % measured in the bulk, where M is elements being Cr, W and at least one binder metal. The coated cutting inserts shows an improved edge line toughness.

A coated cutting tool of a cemented carbide substrate made of WC, a metallic binder phase and a gamma phase has a well distributed gamma phase and a reduced amount of abnormal WC grains. Further, the coated cutting tool is provided with a CVD coating of TiCN and an α-Al.sub.2O.sub.3 layer, wherein the α-Al.sub.2O.sub.3 layer exhibits a texture coefficient TC(0 0 12)≥7.2 and wherein in the ratio I(0 0 12)/I(0 1 14)≥1. The coated cutting tool has an increased resistance against plastic deformation. whilst maintaining toughness.

A method for depositing a hardened layer includes sequentially depositing a hardened layer formed by supplying a powder material for forming a hardened layer, which is obtained by mixing a plurality of kinds of powders, to a substrate, and melting and solidifying the powder material on/above the substrate. The powder material contains a first powder containing an alloy to be serving as a matrix portion of the hardened layer and a second powder containing a ceramic. The method includes heating the powder material until at least a part of the second powder is melted, to allow at least a part of metal elements contained in the melted second powder to be dissolved in the matrix portion of the hardened layer.

A method for depositing a hardened layer includes sequentially depositing a hardened layer formed by supplying a powder material for forming a hardened layer, which is obtained by mixing a plurality of kinds of powders, to a substrate, and melting and solidifying the powder material on/above the substrate. The powder material contains a first powder containing an alloy to be serving as a matrix portion of the hardened layer and a second powder containing a ceramic. The method includes heating the powder material until at least a part of the second powder is melted, to allow at least a part of metal elements contained in the melted second powder to be dissolved in the matrix portion of the hardened layer.

A disc cutter for a cutting unit used in a tunnel boring machine and a method of producing the same. The disc cutter includes an annular disc body made of a metal alloy or metal matrix composite having a first side, a second side arranged substantially opposite to the first side and a radially peripheral part. At least one metal alloy, metal matrix composite or cemented carbide cutting part is mounted in and substantially encircling the radially peripheral part of the disc body, which protrudes outwardly therefrom to engage with the rock during the mining operation. The at least one cutting part is made from a material having a higher wear resistance than the material used for the disc body. A metallic interlayer is disposed between at the least one disc body and the at least one cutting part, the elements of which form the diffusion bonds.

A cemented carbide includes a first hard phase, a second hard phase, and a binder phase, wherein the first hard phase is composed of tungsten carbide grains, the second hard phase is composed of carbide grains including niobium or tantalum as a constituent element, the binder phase includes cobalt, nickel, and chromium as constituent elements, at least part of the carbide grains further include tungsten as a constituent element, and when a volume ratio of the second hard phase to the cemented carbide is represented by A volume % and a volume ratio of a total of a niobium element and a tantalum element to the cemented carbide is represented by B volume %, a ratio A/B of A to B is more than 1.2.

A cemented carbide includes a first hard phase, a second hard phase, and a binder phase, wherein the first hard phase is composed of tungsten carbide grains, the second hard phase is composed of carbide grains including niobium or tantalum as a constituent element, the binder phase includes cobalt, nickel, and chromium as constituent elements, at least part of the carbide grains further include tungsten as a constituent element, and when a volume ratio of the second hard phase to the cemented carbide is represented by A volume % and a volume ratio of a total of a niobium element and a tantalum element to the cemented carbide is represented by B volume %, a ratio A/B of A to B is more than 1.2.