The invention concerns the field of hardmetal materials and relates to hardmetals such as those which can, for example, be used as cutting material for tools. The object of the present invention is to specify hardmetals which include a novel concept for the structural composition of the hardmetals. The object is attained with hardmetals which are at least made up of hard phases in particle form and metal binder arranged therebetween, wherein a high-entropy hard phase (HEH) is composed of at least four metals (Me) of the 4th and/or 5th and/or 6th subgroup of the PTE in the form of a solid solution of carbides, nitrides, carbonitrides, oxycarbides, and/or oxycarbonitrides of the metals, wherein the respective amounts of the metals in the HEH are essentially equal.

A polycrystalline super hard construction has a first region having a body of thermally stable polycrystalline super hard material having a plurality of intergrown grains of super hard material; a second region forming a substrate having a hard phase and a binder phase; and a third region interposed between the first and second regions. The third region includes a composite material having a first phase comprising a plurality of non-intergrown grains of super hard material, and a matrix material. A fourth region interposed between the second and third region has a major proportion having one or more components of the binder material of the second region, and one or more reaction products between the binder material of the second region and one or more components of the third region.

Methods and compositions are provided for improving metal dusting corrosion, abrasion resistance and/or erosion resistance for various materials, preferably for applications relating to high-temperature reactors, including dense fluidized bed reactor components. In particular, cermets comprising (a) at least one ceramic phase selected from the group consisting of metal carbides, metal nitrides, metal borides, metal oxides, metal carbonitrides, and mixtures of thereof and (b) at least one metal alloy binder phase are provided. Ceramic phase materials include chromium carbide (Cr.sub.23C.sub.6). Metal alloy binder phase materials include β-NiAl intermetallic alloys and Ni.sub.3Sn.sub.2 intermetallic alloys, as well as alloys that contain α-Cr and/or γ′-Ni.sub.3Al hard phases. Preferably, bimetallic materials are provided when the cermet compositions are applied using a laser, e.g., a laser cladding method such as high power direct diode (HPDD) laser, or by plasma-based methods such as plasma transfer arc (PTA) welding and powder plasma welding (PPW).

Methods and compositions are provided for improving metal dusting corrosion, abrasion resistance and/or erosion resistance for various materials, preferably for applications relating to high-temperature reactors, including dense fluidized bed reactor components. In particular, cermets comprising (a) at least one ceramic phase selected from the group consisting of metal carbides, metal nitrides, metal borides, metal oxides, metal carbonitrides, and mixtures of thereof and (b) at least one metal alloy binder phase are provided. Ceramic phase materials include chromium carbide (Cr.sub.23C.sub.6). Metal alloy binder phase materials include β-NiAl intermetallic alloys and Ni.sub.3Sn.sub.2 intermetallic alloys, as well as alloys that contain α-Cr and/or γ′-Ni.sub.3Al hard phases. Preferably, bimetallic materials are provided when the cermet compositions are applied using a laser, e.g., a laser cladding method such as high power direct diode (HPDD) laser, or by plasma-based methods such as plasma transfer arc (PTA) welding and powder plasma welding (PPW).

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 cermet contains hard phase particles containing Ti and a binding phase containing at least one of Ni and Co, and 70% or more (by number) of the hard phase particles have a cored structure containing a core and a peripheral portion around the core. The core is composed mainly of at least one of Ti carbide, Ti nitride, and Ti carbonitride, and the peripheral portion is composed mainly of a Ti composite compound containing Ti and at least one selected from W, Mo, Ta, Nb, and Cr. The core has an average particle size α, the peripheral portion has an average particle size β, and α and β satisfy 1.1≦β/α≦1.7.

A cermet contains hard phase particles containing Ti and a binding phase containing at least one of Ni and Co, and 70% or more (by number) of the hard phase particles have a cored structure containing a core and a peripheral portion around the core. The core is composed mainly of at least one of Ti carbide, Ti nitride, and Ti carbonitride, and the peripheral portion is composed mainly of a Ti composite compound containing Ti and at least one selected from W, Mo, Ta, Nb, and Cr. The core has an average particle size α, the peripheral portion has an average particle size β, and α and β satisfy 1.1≦β/α≦1.7.

A cermet contains hard phase particles containing Ti and a binding phase containing at least one of Ni and Co. 70% or more of the hard phase particles have a cored structure containing a core and a peripheral portion around the core. The core is composed mainly of at least one of Ti carbide, Ti nitride, and Ti carbonitride. The peripheral portion is composed mainly of a Ti composite compound containing Ti and at least one selected from W, Mo, Ta, Nb, and Cr. The core has an average particle size α, the peripheral portion has an average particle size β, and α and β satisfy 1.1≦β/α≦1.7. The hard phase particles in the cermet have an average particle size of more than 1.0 μm.

A composite wear pad includes a substrate that is selected from the group of iron based alloys, steel, nickel based alloys, and cobalt based alloys. A hard particle-matrix alloy layer is bonded at a surface to the substrate. The hard particle-matrix alloy layer has a plurality of hard particles dispersed in a matrix alloy. The hard particle-matrix alloy layer has a thickness ranging between greater than about 13 millimeters and about 20 millimeters.

A composite wear pad includes a substrate that is selected from the group of iron based alloys, steel, nickel based alloys, and cobalt based alloys. A hard particle-matrix alloy layer is bonded at a surface to the substrate. The hard particle-matrix alloy layer has a plurality of hard particles dispersed in a matrix alloy. The hard particle-matrix alloy layer has a thickness ranging between greater than about 13 millimeters and about 20 millimeters.