A sintered polycrystalline cubic boron nitride (PCBN) body includes between 40 and 85 vol % of cubic boron nitride (cBN) particles and between 15 and 60 vol % of a binder phase. The binder phase has at least one metal oxide and at least one metal nitride. The metal oxide includes between 20 and 100 vol % of zirconium oxide (ZrO.sub.2) and up to 80 vol % of alumina (Al.sub.2O.sub.3) counted as a volume percentage of the total metal oxide content of the binder phase. The metal nitride includes aluminium nitride (AlN) and at least one metal nitride selected from the group consisting of vanadium nitride (VN), niobium nitride (NbN) and hafnium nitride (HfN). The content of the selected metal nitride selected is at least 10 vol % of the total binder phase, and the content of the metal oxide is at least 10 vol % of the total binder phase.

A sintered polycrystalline cubic boron nitride (PCBN) body includes between 40 and 85 vol % of cubic boron nitride (cBN) particles and between 15 and 60 vol % of a binder phase. The binder phase has at least one metal oxide and at least one metal nitride. The metal oxide includes between 20 and 100 vol % of zirconium oxide (ZrO.sub.2) and up to 80 vol % of alumina (Al.sub.2O.sub.3) counted as a volume percentage of the total metal oxide content of the binder phase. The metal nitride includes aluminium nitride (AlN) and at least one metal nitride selected from the group consisting of vanadium nitride (VN), niobium nitride (NbN) and hafnium nitride (HfN). The content of the selected metal nitride selected is at least 10 vol % of the total binder phase, and the content of the metal oxide is at least 10 vol % of the total binder phase.

The present invention is directed to a surface-coated cubic boron nitride sintered material tool including a cBN substrate and a hard coating layer formed on a surface of the cBN substrate and having an alternate laminated structure of A layer and B layer. The cBN substrate (sintered material) includes: a Ti compound, WC, AlN, TiB.sub.2, Al.sub.2O.sub.3, and cBN. The A layer has a composition of (Ti.sub.1-xAl.sub.x)N (0.4x0.7 in terms of atomic ratio). The B layer has a composition of (Cr.sub.1-y-zAl.sub.yM.sub.z)N (0.03y0.4 and 0z0.05 in terms of atomic ratio). A plastic deformation work ratio of the B layer is 0.35 to 0.50.

The present invention is directed to a surface-coated cubic boron nitride sintered material tool including a cBN substrate and a hard coating layer formed on a surface of the cBN substrate and having an alternate laminated structure of A layer and B layer. The cBN substrate (sintered material) includes: a Ti compound, WC, AlN, TiB.sub.2, Al.sub.2O.sub.3, and cBN. The A layer has a composition of (Ti.sub.1-xAl.sub.x)N (0.4x0.7 in terms of atomic ratio). The B layer has a composition of (Cr.sub.1-y-zAl.sub.yM.sub.z)N (0.03y0.4 and 0z0.05 in terms of atomic ratio). A plastic deformation work ratio of the B layer is 0.35 to 0.50.

An external element made from a first material for a wearable object, the first material being an insulating ceramic, wherein a surface of the external element is at least partially treated to include at least one conversion with an electrical conductivity.

There are provided a continuous fiber-reinforced silicon carbide member and the like which allow sufficient improvement in a mechanical property and environmental resistance. The continuous fiber-reinforced silicon carbide member of an embodiment is a tubular shape and has a first composite material layer and a second composite material layer. In the first composite material layer, continuous fibers of silicon carbide are combined with a matrix of silicon carbide. In the second composite material layer, continuous fibers of carbon are combined with a matrix of silicon carbide. Then, the first composite material layer and the second composite material layer are stacked.

A method of treating a ceramic surface containing zirconia, whereby the ceramic surface is ablated by directing a laser beam with a diameter of 200-400 m produced by a CO.sub.2 laser with a pulse frequency of 1200-1800 Hz onto the ceramic surface, and a N.sub.2 assist gas is concurrently applied with a pressure of 550-650 KPa co-axially with the laser beam to form an ablated ceramic surface comprising microgrooves with ZrN present on a surface of the microgrooves, wherein the ablated ceramic surface has a higher surface hydrophobicity than the ceramic surface prior to the ablating.

A method of treating a ceramic surface containing zirconia, whereby the ceramic surface is ablated by directing a laser beam with a diameter of 200-400 m produced by a CO.sub.2 laser with a pulse frequency of 1200-1800 Hz onto the ceramic surface, and a N.sub.2 assist gas is concurrently applied with a pressure of 550-650 KPa co-axially with the laser beam to form an ablated ceramic surface comprising microgrooves with ZrN present on a surface of the microgrooves, wherein the ablated ceramic surface has a higher surface hydrophobicity than the ceramic surface prior to the ablating.

A coated cutting tool comprising a substrate and a coating layer formed on a surface of the substrate, the coating layer including an alternating laminate structure in which two or more compound layers of each of two or three or more kinds, each kind having a different composition, are laminated in an alternating manner, wherein: the alternating laminate structure is constituted by: a compound layer containing a compound having a composition represented by formula (1) below:

(Ti.sub.xM.sub.ySi.sub.z)N(1)

[wherein M denotes an element of at least one kind selected from the group consisting of Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, W and Al, x denotes an atomic ratio of Ti based on a total of Ti, an element denoted by M and Si, y denotes an atomic ratio of the element denoted by M based on a total of Ti, the element denoted by M and Si, z denotes an atomic ratio of Si based on a total of Ti, the element denoted by M and Si, x satisfies 0.20x0.50, y satisfies 0.20y0.50, z satisfies 0.03z0.30, and x, y and z satisfy x+y+z=1]; and a compound layer containing a compound having a composition represented by formula (2) below:

(Ti.sub.aM.sub.bSi.sub.c)N(2)

[wherein M denotes an element of at least one kind selected from the group consisting of Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, W and Al, a denotes an atomic ratio of Ti based on a total of Ti, an element denoted by M and Si, b denotes an atomic ratio of the element denoted by M based on a total of Ti, the element denoted by M and Si, c denotes an atomic ratio of Si based on a total of Ti, the element denoted by M and Si, a satisfies 0.20a0.49, b satisfies 0.21b0.50, c satisfies 0.04c0.30, and a, b and c satisfy a+b+c=1]; an absolute value of a difference between an amount of a specific metal element contained in a compound layer which constitutes the alternating laminate structure based on an amount of all the metal elements contained therein and an amount of the specific metal element contained in another compound layer which is adjacent to the compound layer and which constitutes the alternating laminate structure based on an amount of all the metal elements contained therein, is more than 0 atom % and less than 5 atom %; and an average thickness of each of the compound layers is from 1 nm or more to 50 nm or less, and an average thickness of the alternating laminate structure is from 1.0 m or more to 15.0 m or less.

A coated cutting tool comprising a substrate and a coating layer formed on a surface of the substrate, the coating layer including an alternating laminate structure in which two or more compound layers of each of two or three or more kinds, each kind having a different composition, are laminated in an alternating manner, wherein: the alternating laminate structure is constituted by: a compound layer containing a compound having a composition represented by formula (1) below:

(Ti.sub.xM.sub.ySi.sub.z)N(1)

[wherein M denotes an element of at least one kind selected from the group consisting of Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, W and Al, x denotes an atomic ratio of Ti based on a total of Ti, an element denoted by M and Si, y denotes an atomic ratio of the element denoted by M based on a total of Ti, the element denoted by M and Si, z denotes an atomic ratio of Si based on a total of Ti, the element denoted by M and Si, x satisfies 0.20x0.50, y satisfies 0.20y0.50, z satisfies 0.03z0.30, and x, y and z satisfy x+y+z=1]; and a compound layer containing a compound having a composition represented by formula (2) below:

(Ti.sub.aM.sub.bSi.sub.c)N(2)

[wherein M denotes an element of at least one kind selected from the group consisting of Zr, Hf, V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, W and Al, a denotes an atomic ratio of Ti based on a total of Ti, an element denoted by M and Si, b denotes an atomic ratio of the element denoted by M based on a total of Ti, the element denoted by M and Si, c denotes an atomic ratio of Si based on a total of Ti, the element denoted by M and Si, a satisfies 0.20a0.49, b satisfies 0.21b0.50, c satisfies 0.04c0.30, and a, b and c satisfy a+b+c=1]; an absolute value of a difference between an amount of a specific metal element contained in a compound layer which constitutes the alternating laminate structure based on an amount of all the metal elements contained therein and an amount of the specific metal element contained in another compound layer which is adjacent to the compound layer and which constitutes the alternating laminate structure based on an amount of all the metal elements contained therein, is more than 0 atom % and less than 5 atom %; and an average thickness of each of the compound layers is from 1 nm or more to 50 nm or less, and an average thickness of the alternating laminate structure is from 1.0 m or more to 15.0 m or less.