A cermet, as a base, containing a plurality of hard particles and a bonded phase between the plurality of hard particles. Each of the plurality of hard particles, when viewed in cross section, includes a first region containing Ti, N, and C, and contains a titanium carbonitride phase as a main constituent. Each of the plurality of hard particles, when viewed in cross-section, includes a second region containing one or more metal elements selected from the group consisting of V, Nb, Ta, Cr, Mo, W, Co, and Ni in a larger amount than the first region. The content of the one or more metal elements in the second region is 9.5 mass % or more in a total amount. A cutting tool has a length extending from a first end to a second end, and includes a holder and the insert described above.

A composite structure with an aluminum-based alloy layer containing boron carbide and a manufacturing method thereof are provided. The composite structure includes a substrate with an open hole in that surface and the aluminum-based alloy layer containing boron carbide. The aluminum-based alloy layer is disposed in the open hole and contains aluminum, boron, carbon, and oxygen, wherein the content of aluminum is between 4 at. % and 55 at. %, the content of boron is between 9 at. % and 32 at. %, the content of carbon is between 13 at. % and 32 at. %, the content of oxygen is between 2 at. % and 38 at. %, and the ratio of the content of boron to carbon is between 0.3 and 2.7.

A superhard polycrystalline construction comprises a body of polycrystalline superhard material comprising a superhard phase, and a second phase dispersed in the superhard phase, the superhard phase comprising a plurality of inter-bonded superhard grains. The second phase comprises particles or grains that do not chemically react with the superhard grains, and/or do not inter-grow, and form between around 1 to 30 volume % or wt % of the body of polycrystalline superhard material.

A method for fabricating a functionally graded tungsten-copper composite (W—Cu FGC) may include the following steps. A binder alloy powder may be prepared that may include mechanically alloyed metal powders of nickel (Ni), copper (Cu), and manganese (Mn); the binder alloy powder may be mixed with a pure tungsten (W) powder to obtain a modified W powder; a plurality of W—Cu composite powders may be prepared by mixing the modified W powder with pure copper powder with different ratios; the plurality of W—Cu composite powders may then be stacked inside a die; the stacked plurality of W—Cu composite powders may be pressed inside the die to obtain a W—Cu compact; and the W—Cu compact may be sintered to obtain a W—Cu FGC.

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).

A composite sintered body cutting tool is made of a composite sintered body comprising a TiCN-based cermet layer; and a WC-based cemented carbide layer. The angle between the rake face and the flank face of the cutting tool is 90°. The rake face including a cutting edge of the cutting tool is constituted from the WC-based cemented carbide layer, in which 4 to 17 mass % of an iron group metal component and 75 mass % or more of W are included; and a major hard phase component is WC. The thickness of the WC-based cemented carbide layer is 0.05 to 0.3 times the thickness of the composite sintered body. The TiCN-based cermet layer is constituted from a single layer of a TiCN-based cermet layer, including at least, 4 to 25 mass % of an iron group metal component, less than 15 mass % of W, 2 to 15 mass % of Mo, 2 to 10 mass % of Nb and 0.2 to 2 mass % of Cr in a case where contents of the constituting components of the cermet layer are expressed as contents of metal components, and satisfy the Co content relative to the total content of Co and Ni of 0.5 to 0.8 with respect to Co and Ni of the iron group metal component in a mass ratio. When the height profile from the upper end to the lower end of the flank face is measured in the plane, which passes the center of the rake face of the cutting tool and is perpendicular to both of the rake face and the flank face, as the line, which passes the ridge line where the rake face and the flank face intersect and perpendicular to the rake face, being the reference line, the maximum elevation difference value of the height profile is in a ratio of 0.01 or less with respect to the thickness of the composite sintered body from the front surface of the rake face to a rear surface.

A method for producing a composite material includes providing a composition comprising at least one hardness carrier and a base binder alloy, and sintering the composition. The base binder alloy comprises from 66 to 93 wt.-% of nickel, from 7 to 34 wt.-% of iron, and from 0 to 9 wt.-% of cobalt, wherein the wt.-% proportions of the base binder alloy add up to 100 wt.-%.

A cutting tool made of a cemented carbide substrate of WC, a metallic binder phase and gamma phase is provided. The cemented carbide has a well distributed gamma phase and a reduced amount of abnormal WC grains. The cutting tool has a more predicted tool life and an increased resistance against plastic deformation.

Articles comprising at least a portion of an earth-boring tool include at least one insert and a solidified eutectic or near-eutectic composition including a metal phase and a hard material phase. Other articles include a solidified eutectic or near-eutectic composition including a metal phase, a hard material phase and a coating material in contact with the solidified eutectic or near-eutectic composition.

Disclosed herein are compounds, methods, and tools which comprise tungsten borides and mixed transition metal borides.