A cermet (1) includes a bonding phase (2) and a hard phase (4). The hard phase (4) includes: a first hard phase (5) composed of TiCN; and a second hard phase (6) composed of a composite carbonitride of Ti, which is greater than the average particle diameter of the first hard phase (5). The cermet (1) further includes an aggregate part (10) formed by interlinking parts of the second hard phase (6). The second hard phase (6) forming the aggregate part (10) includes a 2a-th hard phase (7) having a maximum W content of an inner part thereof that is more than 1.1 times as great as an average W content of an outer circumferential part thereof, in terms of mass ratio. The aggregate part (10) composes a proportion of from 20% to 60% of the cermet (1) in terms of surface area.

A sintered material includes a first material and a second material, wherein the first material is partially stabilized ZrO.sub.2 in which 1 to 90 volume % of Al.sub.2O.sub.3 is dispersed in crystal grain boundaries or crystal grains, the Al.sub.2O.sub.3 is a grain having a grain size of less than or equal to 1 m, and the second material is at least one compound selected from a group consisting of a carbide, a nitride, and a carbonitride, and 5 to 95 volume % of the second material is included in the sintered material.

A thermoelectric composite material includes MXene inserted at a boundary of a crystal grain consisting of a thermoelectric material. Accordingly, the thermoelectric composite material may have a reduced thermal conductivity and an increased electrical conductivity. Furthermore, a mechanical property of the thermoelectric composite material may be improved. Thus, the thermoelectric composite material may improve a thermoelectric ability of a thermoelectric module.

A sintered polycrystalline body and a method of forming the sintered polycrystalline body are disclosed. The sintered polycrystalline body comprises a plurality of particles cubic boron nitride dispersed in a matrix. The matrix includes materials selected from compounds of any of titanium and aluminium. The polycrystalline body further comprises 0.1 to 5.0 volume % of lubricating chalcogenide particles dispersed in the matrix. The chalcogenide particles have a coefficient of friction of less than 0.1 with respect to a workpiece material. Preferably sulfide particles are used as lubricant. Preferably 30-70 vol.-% cBN is contained. Sintering takes place at 1100-1600 C. and 4-8 GPa.

Systems and methods for making ceramic powders configured with consistent, tailored characteristics and/or properties are provided herein. In some embodiments a system for making ceramic powders, includes: a reactor body having a reaction chamber and configured with a heat source to provide a hot zone along the reaction chamber; a sweep gas inlet configured to direct a sweep gas into the reaction chamber and a sweep gas outlet configured to direct an exhaust gas from the reaction chamber; a plurality of containers, within the reactor body, configured to retain at least one preform, wherein each container is configured to permit the sweep gas to flow therethrough, wherein the preform is configured to permit the sweep gas to flow there through, such that the precursor mixture is reacted in the hot zone to form a ceramic powder product having uniform properties.

A composite sintered material contains cubic boron nitride particles and binder particles. The composite sintered material contains 40 vol % or more and 80 vol % or less of the cubic boron nitride particles. The binder particles contain TiCN particles. The composite sintered material shows a first peak belonging to a (200) plane of the TiCN particles in a range in which a Bragg angle 2 is 41.7 or more and 42.6 or less in an X-ray diffraction spectrum measured using a Cu-K ray as a ray source.

Systems and methods for making ceramic powders configured with consistent, tailored characteristics and/or properties are provided herein. In some embodiments a system for making ceramic powders, includes: a reactor body having a reaction chamber and configured with a heat source to provide a hot zone along the reaction chamber; a sweep gas inlet configured to direct a sweep gas into the reaction chamber and a sweep gas outlet configured to direct an exhaust gas from the reaction chamber; a plurality of containers, within the reactor body, configured to retain at least one preform, wherein each container is configured to permit the sweep gas to flow therethrough, wherein the preform is configured to permit the sweep gas to flow there through, such that the precursor mixture is reacted in the hot zone to form a ceramic powder product having uniform properties.

A cBN sintered material cutting tool is provided. The cBN cutting tool includes a cutting tool body, which is a sintered material including cBN grains and a binder phase, wherein the sintered material comprises: the cubic boron nitride grains in a range of 40 volume % or more and less than 60 volume %; and Al in a range from a lower limit of 2 mass % to an upper limit Y, satisfying a relationship, Y=0.1X+10, Y and X being an Al content in mass % and a content of the cubic boron nitride grains in volume %, respectively, the binder phase comprises: at least a Ti compound; Al.sub.2O.sub.3; and inevitable impurities, the Al.sub.2O.sub.3 includes fine Al.sub.2O.sub.3 grains with a diameter of 10 nm to 100 nm dispersedly formed in the binder phase, and there are 30 or more of the fine Al.sub.2O.sub.3 grains generated in an area of 1 m1 m in a cross section of the binder phase.

A cBN sintered material cutting tool is provided. The cBN cutting tool includes a cutting tool body, which is a sintered material including cBN grains and a binder phase, wherein the sintered material comprises: the cubic boron nitride grains in a range of 40 volume % or more and less than 60 volume %; and Al in a range from a lower limit of 2 mass % to an upper limit Y, satisfying a relationship, Y=0.1X+10, Y and X being an Al content in mass % and a content of the cubic boron nitride grains in volume %, respectively, the binder phase comprises: at least a Ti compound; Al.sub.2O.sub.3; and inevitable impurities, the Al.sub.2O.sub.3 includes fine Al.sub.2O.sub.3 grains with a diameter of 10 nm to 100 nm dispersedly formed in the binder phase, and there are 30 or more of the fine Al.sub.2O.sub.3 grains generated in an area of 1 m1 m in a cross section of the 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.