This disclosure relates a polycrystalline cubic boron nitride, PCBN, composite material for use in friction stir welding. The PCBN composite material comprises tungsten (W), rhenium (Re) and aluminium (Al) in the binder matrix material.

A structured multi-phase composite which include a metal phase, and a low stiffness, high thermal conductivity phase or encapsulated phase change material, that are arranged to create a composite having high thermal conductivity, having reduced/controlled stiffness, and a low CTE to reduce thermal stresses in the composite when exposed to cyclic thermal loads. The structured multi-phase composite is useful for use in structures such as, but not limited to, high speed engine ducts, exhaust-impinged structures, heat exchangers, electrical boxes, heat sinks, and heat spreaders.

A cubic boron nitride sintered material includes: more than or equal to 20 volume % and less than 80 volume % of cubic boron nitride grains; and more than 20 volume % and less than or equal to 80 volume % of a binder phase, and when a carbon content is measured from a cubic boron nitride grain into the binder phase in a direction perpendicular to an interface between the cubic boron nitride grain and the binder phase using TEM-EDX, a first region having a carbon content larger than an average value of a carbon content of the binder phase exists, the interface exists in the first region, and a length of the first region is more than or equal to 0.1 nm and less than or equal to 10 nm.

A system for forming an abrasive article is presented. The system includes a workspace and an abrasive material dispenser that deposits a layer of abrasive material onto the workspace. The system also includes a leveler that levels a surface of abrasive material on the workspace. The system also includes a binder jet printer that dispenses a liquid binder onto the layer of abrasive material. The workspace is on a moving surface that moves the workspace between a dispensing position under the dispenser, a leveling position under the leveler, and a printing position, under the printer.

A system for forming an abrasive article is presented. The system includes a workspace and an abrasive material dispenser that deposits a layer of abrasive material onto the workspace. The system also includes a leveler that levels a surface of abrasive material on the workspace. The system also includes a binder jet printer that dispenses a liquid binder onto the layer of abrasive material. The workspace is on a moving surface that moves the workspace between a dispensing position under the dispenser, a leveling position under the leveler, and a printing position, under the printer.

A cBN sintered material comprising cBN particles and a binder phase, in which the binder phase contains AlN and AlB.sub.2, a content proportion of cBN particles is 70 to 97 vol %, cBN sintered material has a volume resistivity up to 5×10.sup.−3 Ωcm, a rate of a peak intensity derived from Al with respect to a peak intensity derived from cBN particles is less than 1.0%, cBN particles include fine particles and coarse particles, coarse particles optionally include ultra-coarse particles, with respect to the entire cBN particles, a content proportion α of fine particles is from 10 vol %, a content proportion β of coarse particles is from 30 vol %, a content proportion γ of ultra-coarse particles is 25 vol % or less, and a total of the content proportion α of fine particles and the content proportion β of coarse particles is 50 to 100 vol %.

The invention relates to a method of processing a superhard composite material (21) comprising a polycrystalline microstructure and a binder, said method comprising the following steps: contacting (200) a surface of said superhard composite material (21) with an absorbent material (30), and applying (300) an electric current to the superhard composite material (21), causing the binder to move from the superhard composite material (21) to the absorbent material (30) so as to create a continuous gradient (221) of binder content within the superhard composite material (21).

This application describes a method of making a super-hard article that includes a super-hard structure bonded to a substrate. The super-hard structure generally includes a sintered plurality of super-hard grains made from cubic boron nitride. The method generally includes providing raw material powder suitable for sintering the super-hard structure; combining the raw material powder with an organic binder material in a liquid medium to form a paste; providing a substrate assembly having a formation surface area configured for forming a boundary of the super-hard structure, the substrate having a recess coterminous with the formation surface area; extruding the paste into contact with the formation surface area to provide a paste assembly; and heat treating and/or sintering the paste assembly to remove the binder material and provide a pre-sinter assembly.

Polycrystalline material comprising a plurality of nano-grains of a crystalline phase of an iron group element and a plurality of crystalline grains of material including carbon (C) or nitrogen (N); each nano-grain having a mean size less than 10 nanometres.

Methods of forming larger sintered compacts of PCD and other sintered ultrahard materials are disclosed. Improved solvent metal compositions and layering of the un-sintered construct allow for sintering of thicker and larger high quality sintered compacts. Jewelry may also be made from sintered ultrahard materials including diamond, carbides, and boron nitrides. Increased biocompatibility is achieved through use of a sintering metal containing tin. Methods of sintering perform shapes are provided.