HARD COMPOSITE MATERIAL

Abstract

A cBN sinter comprising cubic boron nitride grains and a binder phase, the binder phase comprising Ti.sub.2CN and Co.sub.2B, wherein the ratio I.sub.Ti2CN/I.sub.Co2B of a peak intensity I.sub.Ti2CN assigned to Ti.sub.2CN appearing at 2θ = 41.9° to 42.2° to a peak intensity I.sub.TiAl3 assigned to Co.sub.2B appearing at 2θ = 45.7° to 45.9° is in a range of 0.5 and 2.0 in an XRD measurement.

Claims

1. A cBN sinter comprising cubic boron nitride grains and a binder phase, the binder phase comprising Ti.sub.2CN and Co.sub.2B, wherein the ratio I.sub.Ti2CN/I.sub.Co2B of the peak intensity I.sub.Ti2CN assigned to Ti.sub.2CN appearing at 2θ = 41.9° to 42.2° to the peak intensity I.sub.Co2B assigned to Co.sub.2B appearing at 2θ = 45.7° to 45.9° is in a range of 0.5 and 2.0 in an XRD measurement.

2. The cBN sinter set forth in claim 1, the binder phase comprises TiB.sub.2 wherein the ratio I.sub.Co2B/I.sub.TiB2 of the peak intensity I.sub.TiB2 assigned to TiB.sub.2 appearing at 2θ = 44.4° to 44.6° to the peak intensity I.sub.Co2B assigned to Co.sub.2B is in a range of 1.2 to 3.4.

Description

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF DRAWINGS

[0016] FIG. 1 is an XRD spectrum of Example Sinter 4.

DESCRIPTION OF EMBODIMENTS

[0017] The inventor has reviewed the disclosures described in the patent documents and has found the following facts:

[0018] The cemented carbide described in PTL 1 is designed for drilling in a highly corrosive atmosphere, albeit for high depth drilling; hence, it has poor wear resistance in deep drilling of hard rocks, and it wears early and has a short service life in use in a cutting edge of a drilling tool.

[0019] Since the cBN sinters disclosed in PTL 2 and PTL 3 are designed to be pressed mainly against a work material of uniform composition, they exhibit insufficient resistance to fatigue wear due to repeated impacts, to abrasive wear caused by the micro-cutting action occurring when a hard component invades between the tool cutting edge and the rock in the fractured rock, and to damage such as fracture due to impact and vibration to destroy the rock when used as drilling tools for rock excavation.

[0020] A drilling tool is used for digging into the ground or bedrock. Underground rocks are not uniform in composition and strength, and are brittle materials. Unlike cutting tools, which focus on cutting and scraping performance, drilling tools need to withstand shock and vibration to destroy the rock, and also need to withstand rotation to efficiently remove the destroyed rock.

[0021] In other words, materials for drilling tools requires resistance to damage such as fatigue wear caused by repeatedly applied impacts, abrasive wear caused by the micro-cutting action occurring when the hard component of the crushed rock invades between the tool cutting edge and the crushed rock surrounding the drilling tool, and fracture due to impacts and vibration to destroy the rock.

[0022] The inventor has carried out an intensive study based on these facts. The inventor, who has focused on a cBN sinter as a hard composite material, has found that the cBN sinter exhibits excellent fatigue wear resistance and abrasive wear resistance, as well as resistance to damage such as fracture due to impact and vibration to break rocks, if a predetermined relation holds between the peak intensities of the XRD measurements of Ti.sub.2CN and Co.sub.2B, which constitute the binder phase of the cBN sinter.

[0023] The cBN sinter according to the embodiments of the present invention will now be described in more detail. Throughout the specification and claims, a numerical range expressed as “A to B” (A and B are both numerical values) is synonymous with “A or above and B or below,” and the range includes the upper limit value (B) and the lower limit value (A). The units for the upper and lower limits are the same. In addition, the numerical values may include experimental errors.

[0024] Mean size of cubic boron nitride (cBN) grains:

[0025] The cBN grains used in this embodiment may have any mean grain size. The preferred mean grain size ranges from 0.5 to 30.0 .Math.m.

[0026] The reason for excellent fracture resistance is as follows: In addition to an increase in chipping resistance by hard cBN grains contained in the sinter, a mean grain diameter of 0.5 to 30.0 .Math.m leads to, for example, not only decreases in defects and chipping originating from the uneven shape of the cutting edge caused by detachment of cBN grains from the surface of a drilling tool during use, but also decreases in cracks propagating from the interface between the cBN grains and the binder phase by stresses applied to the cutting edge of the drilling tool during use or decreases in propagation of cracking of the cBN grains.

[0027] The mean diameter of cBN grains can be determined as follows:

[0028] The cross section of a sintered cBN is mirror-finished, and the structure on the mirror-finished surface is observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to capture a secondary electron image. A portion of cBN grains in the captured image is extracted by image processing, and the mean grain diameter is calculated based on the maximum length of each grain determined by image analysis.

[0029] The extraction of the portion of cBN grains in the image by the image processing comprises the steps of: displaying the image in monochrome of 256 gradations including 0 in black and 255 in white to clearly distinguish the cBN grains from the binder phase; and binarizing the image having a ratio of 2 or more of the pixel value of the cBN grain portions to the pixel value of the binder phase portion to make the cBN grains black.

[0030] A region of about 0.5 .Math.m by 0.5 .Math.m is selected for determining pixel values in cBN grains. The pixel value of cBN is preferably determined by the mean value calculated from at least three different sites in the same image region.

[0031] After the binarization process, the cBN grains are separated from each other by a process that separates the contact portions of the cBN grains, for example, by watershed analysis.

[0032] The black portions corresponding to cBN grains in the image after the binarization process are subjected to grain analysis, and the maximum length of each grain is defined as a diameter of the grain. For grain analysis to determine the maximum length, the larger one of the two lengths obtained by calculating the Feret diameter of one cBN grain is a maximum length, and this value is defined as a diameter of each grain.

[0033] Each grain is then assumed to be an ideal sphere with this diameter, to calculate the cumulative volume as a volume of the grain. Based on this cumulative volume, a graph is drawn with the vertical axis as volume percentage (%) and the horizontal axis as diameter (.Math.m). The diameter at 50% volume fraction corresponds to the mean diameter of cBN grains. This treatment is performed for three observation area, and the mean thereof is defined as a mean grain diameter of cBN (.Math.m).

[0034] On this grain analysis, the length per pixel (.Math.m) is preliminarily determined using scale values known by SEM. On an observation area for image processing, a viewing area of about 15 .Math.m by 15 .Math.m is desirable for cBN grains having a mean size of about 3 .Math.m.

[0035] The cBN sinter may contain cBN grains in amount content (% by volume). A content less than 65% by volume of cBN grains may cause a hard material to be less generated in the sinter, resulting in reduced chipping resistance in use as a drilling tool. A content exceeding 93% by volume may lead to generation of voids that can be start points of cracking in the sinter, resulting in a reduction in chipping resistance. In order to further emphasize the advantageous effect of this embodiment, the content of cBN grains in the sintered cBN should preferably be in the range of 65 to 93% by volume.

[0036] The content of cBN grains in the cBN sinter can be determined as follows: The cross-sectional structure of the cBN sinter is observed by SEM, and the regions of cBN grains in the observed secondary electron image are extracted by image processing, and the areas occupied by cBN grains are calculated by image analysis. The mean value from at least three images is used as a content (% by volume) of the cBN grain. On an observation area for image processing, a viewing area of about 15 .Math.m by 15 .Math.m is desirable for cBN grains having a mean diameters of 3 .Math.m.

[0037] Binder phase:

[0038] The ceramic binder phase according to the embodiment can be formed with Ti.sub.2AlC powder, Ti.sub.3AlC.sub.2 powder, TiN powder, TiC powder, TiCN powder, TiAl.sub.3 powder, and Co powder.

[0039] Regarding Ti.sub.2CN and Co.sub.2B, which are constituents of the binder phase, if the ratio I.sub.Ti2CN/I.sub.Co2B is in the range of 0.5 to 2.0, the cBN sinter preferably has excellent abrasion and abrasive wear resistance during rock excavation and high resistance to damage such as chipping due to shock and vibration during rock excavation, where |.sub.Ti2CN represents the intensity of a peak assigned to Ti.sub.2CN appearing at 2θ = 41.9° to 42.2° and I.sub.Co2B represents the intensity of a peak assigned to Co.sub.2B appearing at 2θ = 45.7° to 45.9° in XRD.

[0040] The reason why Co.sub.2B occurs in the sinter after ultrahigh-pressure and high-temperature sintering is inferred as follows: A reaction of Ti.sub.2AlC or Ti.sub.3AlC.sub.2 with Co proceeds during sintering under ultrahigh pressure to form TiAlCo. The resulting TiAlCo reacts with cBN to form Co.sub.2B. When Co.sub.2B is generated, TiB.sub.2 is also generated.

[0041] This inference conducts the following reason for the ratio I.sub.Ti2CN/I.sub.Co2B within the range specified above: A ratio I.sub.Ti2CN/I.sub.Co2B less than 0.5 causes Co.sub.2B formed by the reaction of TiAlCo and cBN to be present more in the sinter. Since the Co.sub.2B is brittle, it can be a starting point for fracture during rock excavation. A ratio I.sub.Ti2CN/I.sub.Co2B greater than 2.0 causes less Co.sub.2B to be formed by the reaction of cBN and the material for a binder phase in the sinter. As a result, the adhesive strength between cBN and the binder phase decreases, and the sinter loses the resistance to abrasive wear and damage such as chippings caused by impact and vibration during rock excavation.

[0042] The intensity I.sub.Ti2CN of the Ti.sub.2CN peak and the intensity I.sub.Co2B of the Co.sub.2B peak are determined by XRD measurement using a Cu tube. In detail, the (111) diffraction peak of cBN is set at 2θ = 43.3° as a reference position (angle), the peak between 2θ = 41.9° and 42.2° is assigned to Ti.sub.2CN and the peak between 2θ = 45.7 and 45.9° is assigned to Co.sub.2B. After background removal, peak search is performed to determine the intensity of each peak.

[0043] Preferably, the binder phase contains TiB.sub.2, and the ratio I.sub.Co2B/I.sub.TiB2 of the intensity of the peak assigned to Co.sub.2B to the intensity of the peak I.sub.TiB2 assigned to TiB.sub.2 appearing at 2θ = 44.4° to 44.6° is in a range of 1.2 to 3.4 in an XRD measurement.

[0044] The reason is as follows: A ratio I.sub.Co2B/I.sub.TiB2 less than 1.2 causes an excess amount of hard, but low-toughness TiB.sub.2 to be formed, resulting in formation of coarse TiB.sub.2 grains, which may work as a start point of fracture during rock excavation.

[0045] A ratio I.sub.Co2B/I.sub.TiB2 exceeding 3.4 causes a significantly low content of TiB2 relative to Co.sub.2B, which state results in a sinter containing a large amount of Co.sub.2B that is generated by a direct reaction of Co with cBN, but not Co.sub.2B that is generated by a reaction of cBN with TiAlCo formed by a reaction of Ti.sub.2AlC or Ti.sub.3AlC.sub.2 with Co. The adhesion between cBN and the binder phase hence decreases, resulting in decreases in resistance to abrasive wear of the cBN sinter and to damage such as fracture due to impact and vibration during rock excavation.

[0046] Production of binder phase:

[0047] The binder phase in the cBN sinter according to the embodiment may be formed as follows:

[0048] Prior to ultrahigh-pressure, high-temperature sintering, Ti.sub.2AlC or Ti.sub.3AlC.sub.2 with a mean diameter in the range of 1 to 500 .Math.m and Co with a mean grain diameter of several microns or less, for example, is prepared. These materials are mixed with other raw materials and heat-treated at a temperature from 250° C. to 900° C. under vacuum. This process can reduce water absorbed on the surfaces of the raw materials without decomposition of coarse Ti.sub.2AlC or Ti.sub.3AlC.sub.2 grains into TiO.sub.2 and Al.sub.2O.sub.3, thereby reducing the oxidation of Co during ultrahigh-pressure, high-temperature sintering and enabling Co to react with Ti.sub.2AlC or Ti.sub.3AlC.sub.2 at the beginning.

[0049] Nonpulverization of Ti.sub.2AlC or Ti.sub.3AlC.sub.2 into fine grains allows Ti.sub.2CN and TiAl.sub.3 to be formed in the sinter through ultrahigh-pressure sintering without reacting with oxygen inside the coarse grains. Co reacts with Ti.sub.2AlC or Ti.sub.3AlC.sub.2 to form TiAlCo, which then reacts with cBN to form Co.sub.2B, TiB.sub.2, and AIN. As a result, the bonding strength is enhanced between the cBN and the binder phase.

[0050] In addition, the toughness-enhancing effect of fine Co.sub.2B grains generated and dispersed in the sinter can offset a reduction in toughness due to the coarse-grained component of the binder phase. As a result, the cBN sinter exhibits high resistance to wear and abrasive wear during rock excavation, for example, and to damage such as chippings caused by shock and vibration during rock excavation.

EXAMPLES

[0051] Examples will now be described. These Examples should not be construed to limit the present invention.

[0052] Sinters of Examples were prepared through Steps (1) to (3):

Preparation of Raw Material Powder

[0053] A hard raw material cBN with a mean grain size of 0.5 to 35 .Math.m was used. Raw material powders Ti.sub.2AlC or Ti.sub.3AlC.sub.2 and Co were prepared as a binder phase. The Ti.sub.2AlC or Ti.sub.3AlC.sub.2 raw materials each had a mean grain diameter of 50 .Math.m. The Co raw material had a mean particle diameter of 1 .Math.m. Raw material powders TiN, TiC, TiCN, and TiAl.sub.3 were also prepared separately for a binder phase. The mean particle diameters of these separately prepared powders ranged from 0.3 .Math.m to 0.9 .Math.m. The composition of these raw materials is shown in Table 1.

Mixing

[0054] These raw powders were mixed and placed together with cemented carbide balls and acetone into a container lined with cemented carbide, then covered with a lid and mixed in the ball mill. The mixing time was 1 hour to avoid finely grinding the raw material powders. It is more preferable to use an ultrasonic stirring device to disintegrate the agglomeration of the raw material powders during mixing, although the device was not used in this example.

Compaction and Sintering

[0055] The resulting raw powder mixture was then compacted at a predetermined pressure to produce a green compact, which was subjected to provisional heat treatment. The compact was then charged into an ultrahigh-pressure sintering apparatus and sintered at a predetermined temperature within the range of up to 5 GPa and 1600° C. Example cBN sinters (hereafter referred to as “Example Sinters”) 1 to 15 were thereby prepared as shown in Table 2.

[0056] The provisional heat treatment was performed in a vacuum atmosphere under a pressure of 1 Pa or less, at a temperature between 250° C. and 900° C. or less (“Heating temperature after mixing” in Table 2) for the following reasons: A temperature less than 250° C. causes adsorbed water to insufficiently desorb from the surface of the raw material. The moisture causes Co to be oxidized during ultrahigh-pressure, high-temperature sintering and thus a reaction with Ti.sub.2AlC or Ti.sub.3AlC.sub.2 to be precluded. Furthermore, Ti.sub.2AlC or Ti.sub.3AlC.sub.2 reacts with moisture adsorbed on the raw material during ultrahigh-pressure, high-temperature sintering and decomposes into TiO.sub.2 and Al.sub.2O.sub.3. As a result, Ti.sub.2CN decreases in the binder phase of the sinter after ultrahigh-pressure, high-temperature sintering and the toughness of the sinter decreases.

[0057] A temperature higher than 900° C. causes Ti.sub.2AlC or Ti.sub.3AlC.sub.2 to react with oxygen in the adsorbed water and to decompose into TiO.sub.2 and Al.sub.2O.sub.3 during the provisional heat treatment stage. Ti.sub.2AlC or Ti.sub.3AlC.sub.2, which is to react with Co during ultrahigh pressure sintering, doesn’t exist. Since no TiAlCo essential for a reaction with cBN is not formed, the adhesion between the cBN and the binder phase is impaired. The resulting sinter has low wear resistance and abrasive wear resistance and low resistance to damage such as chippings caused by shocks and vibrations during rock excavation.

[0058] Comparative sinters were prepared. Raw material powders were prepared which contain a hard cBN raw material with a mean particle size of 1.0 to 4.0 .Math.m and a Ti.sub.2AlC or Ti.sub.3AlC.sub.2 raw material powder and a Co raw material powder for forming a binder phase. The Ti.sub.2AlC and Ti.sub.3AlC.sub.2 raw materials had a mean particle diameter of 50 .Math.m. The Co raw material had a mean particle diameter of 1 .Math.m. These raw materials were compounded to have compositions shown in Tables 1 and 3, and mixed by ball milling under the same conditions as in Examples.

[0059] Each mixture was then compacted under a predetermined pressure, which was then subjected to a provisional heat treatment at a predetermined temperature (“Heating temperature after mixing” in Table 4) in a range of 100° C. to 1200° C. The compact was then charged into an ultrahigh-pressure sintering apparatus and sintered at a pressure of 5 GPa and a temperature of 1600° C. Comparative Example cBN sinters (hereinafter referred to as “Comparative Example Sinters”) 1 to 5 shown in Table 4 were thereby produced.

TABLE-US-00001 Type Composition (% by volume) Ti.sub.2AlC T i .sub.3AlC.sub.2 Co TiN TiCN TiC TiAl.sub.3 Materials for Example binder phase∗ a 80 - 20 - - - - b - 80 20 - - - - c 65 - 20 - - - 15 d - 60 30 10 - - - e 65 - 20 - 15 - - f - 65 20 4 - 11 - g 60 - 20 - 15 - 5 “-”: Not compounded. “∗”: Some were also used as materials for Comparative Example binder phase.

TABLE-US-00002 Type cBN Raw material for binder phase Heating temperature after mixing (°C) Ratio of XRD peak intensity I.sub.Ti2CN / I.sub.Co2B Ratio of XRD peak intensity I.sub.Co2B/ I.sub.T.sub.iB2 Composition of sinter (Identfied by XRD) Content (% by volume) Average diameter (.Math.m) Example sinter 1 73.5 1.3 d 400 0.8 4.0 cBN, Ti.sub.2CN, TiB.sub.2, Co.sub.2B, AIN 2 75.5 2.7 b 250 0.5 1.8 cBN, Ti.sub.2CN, TiB.sub.2, Co.sub.2B, Al.sub.2O.sub.3, AIN 3 74.7 8.4 f 600 0.9 2.3 cBN, Ti.sub.2CN, TiB.sub.2, Co.sub.2B, AIN 4 73.7 2.5 a 600 1.4 1.5 cBN, Ti.sub.2CN, TiB.sub.2, Co.sub.2B, AIN 5 75.8 2.4 b 600 0.8 2.4 cBN, Ti.sub.2CN, TiB.sub.2, Co.sub.2B, AIN 6 73.9 2.4 d 700 0.9 3.4 cBN, Ti.sub.2CN, TiB.sub.2, Co.sub.2B, AIN 7 74.3 0.5 g 600 1.6 1.6 cBN, Ti.sub.2CN, TiB.sub.2, Co.sub.2B, AIN 8 73.5 14.8 b 900 0.8 2.0 cBN, Ti.sub.2CN, TiB.sub.2, Co.sub.2B, AIN 9 74.4 2.8 c 600 1.3 1.2 cBN, Ti.sub.2CN, TiB.sub.2, Co.sub.2B, AIN 10 69.9 22.1 b 600 1.0 1.9 cBN, Ti.sub.2CN, TiB.sub.2, Co.sub.2B, AIN 11 74.1 2.6 e 300 2.0 1.6 cBN, Ti.sub.2CN, TiB.sub.2, Co.sub.2B, Al.sub.2O.sub.3, AIN 12 76.4 2.6 c 900 1.5 1.0 cBN, Ti.sub.2CN, TiB.sub.2, Co.sub.2B, AIN 13 83.9 2.3 a 600 1.2 1.5 cBN, Ti.sub.2CN, TiB.sub.2, Co.sub.2B, AIN 14 70.4 30.0 a 600 1.5 1.8 cBN, Ti.sub.2CN, TiB.sub.2, Co.sub.2B, AIN 15 91.9 2.6 a 600 1.3 1.4 cBN. Ti.sub.2CN, TiB.sub.2. Co.sub.2B. AIN

TABLE-US-00003 Type Composition (% by volume) Ti.sub.2AlC Ti.sub.3AlC.sub.2 Co TiCN TiAl.sub.3 Materials for Comparative Example binder phase h 32 - 20 - 48 i - 32 20 - 48 j - 28 20 37 15 “-”: Not compounded.

TABLE-US-00004 Type cBN Raw malarial for binder phase Heating temperature after mixing (°C) Ratio of XRD peak intensity I.sub.li2CN / I.sub.Co2B Ratio of XRD peak intensity I.sub.CO2B/ I.sub.TiB2 Composition of sinter (Identfied by XRD) Content (% by volume) Average diameter (.Math.m) Comparative Example 1 73.7 2.4 h 600 0.2 0.7 cBN, Ti.sub.2CN, TiB.sub.2, Co.sub.2B, AIN 2 73.1 2.5 i 600 0.1 1.2 cBN, Ti.sub.2CN, TiB.sub.2, Co.sub.2B, AIN 3 74.9 2.3 j 600 4.5 1.7 cBN, Ti.sub.2CN, TiB.sub.2, Co.sub.2B, AIN 4 73.7 2.3 a 1200 0.1 1.0 cBN, Ti.sub.2CN, TiB.sub.2, Co.sub.2B. AIN 5 74.6 2.1 j 100 3.2 0.8 cBN. Ti.sub.2CN, TiB.sub.2, Co.sub.2B. Al.sub.2O.sub.3,AIN

[0060] FIG. 1 illustrates an XRD spectrum of Example Sinter 4. The XRD spectrum demonstrates that the sinter has a peak intensity I.sub.Ti2CN assigned to Ti.sub.2CN appearing at 2θ = 41.9° to 42.2° and a peak intensity I.sub.Co2B assigned to Co.sub.2B appearing at 2θ = 45.7° to 45.9°, where the ratio I.sub.Ti2CN /I.sub.CO2B of the peak intensity I.sub.Ti2CN to the peak intensity I.sub.Co2B ranges from 0.5 to 2.0.

[0061] Tools of Examples 1 to 15 and Comparative Examples 1 to 5 each having a shape in accordance with ISO standard RNGN090300 were then fabricated from the Example Sinters 1 to 15 and Example Sinters 1 to 5, respectively. These tools were each mounted on an NC lathe and subjected to the following wet cutting test. [0062] Cutting speed: 150 m/min [0063] Cutting depth: 0.3 mm [0064] Feed rate: 0.1 mm/rev [0065] Workpiece material: Granite (from Takine), Shape 150 mm in diameter by 200 mm in length

[0066] The wear of the cutting edge and the state of the cutting edge were observed at a cutting length (cutting distance) of 800 m, with proviso that the cutting edge was observed every 100 m of cutting length to check defects and to measure the amount of wear. At a point the amount of wear exceeding 2000 .Math.m, the cutting test was stopped. The results are shown in Table 5.

TABLE-US-00005 Tool type Wear (State of edge) Tool type Wear (State of edge) Example 1 2020 .Math.m (Chipping found) Comparative Example 1 2140 .Math.m (Chipping found)∗ Example 2 1810 .Math.m (No chipping) Comparative Example 2 2330 .Math.m (Chipping found)∗ Example 3 1690 .Math.m (No chipping) Comparative Example 3 Not measured (broken)∗ Example 4 1600 .Math.m (No chipping) Comparative Example 4 Not measured (broken)∗ Example 5 1750 .Math.m (No chipping) Comparative Example 5 Not measured (broken)∗ Example 6 1930 .Math.m (No chipping) Example 7 1880 .Math.m (Chipping found) Example 8 1790 .Math.m (No chipping) Example 9 1830 .Math.m (No chipping) Example 10 1860 .Math.m (No chipping) Example 11 1770 .Math.m (No chipping) Example 12 2050 .Math.m (Chipping found) Example 13 1550 .Math.m (No chipping) Example 14 1890 .Math.m (No chipping) Example 15 1480 .Math.m (No chipping) ∗: After 100 m cutting

[0067] Table 5 evidentially demonstrates that all the Example tools exhibit low amounts of wear and no chipping indicating excellent abrasive wear resistance and resistance to damage such as chipping caused by impact and vibration to destroy the rock in use as drilling tools. In contrast, all the Comparative Example tools exhibit occurrence of chipping or large amounts of wear at a small cutting length indicating low abrasive wear resistance, and are difficult to use as drilling tools due to chipping.

[0068] The disclosed embodiments are illustrative only and are not restrictive in all respects. The scope of the invention is indicated by the claims, not the described embodiments, and is intended to include all modifications within the meaning of the claims and the scope of equivalents.