Titanium carbide nickel composition process

Claim 1

The process of claim 1 wherein Step III the selected final temperature is about 1,400*C., the time is about 4 minutes, and the pressure on the sample is between 100 and 200 psi.

Claim 3

A method for making a homogeneous composition consisting of 80 to 97 percent by volume of titanium carbide and 3 to 20 percent by volume of nickel and having (a) an average grain size smaller than 10 microns, (b) a nickel-rich binder phase uniformly distributed at the grain boundaries, substantially all of said binder phase having a thickness of less than 0.5 micron, and (c) a density in excess of 95 percent of the theoretical density, comprising the steps of: I. intimately milling together a mixture of fine titanium carbide and nickel powder in a hydrocarbon oil, separating, drying and screening the powder in a non-oxidizing atmosphere; II. charging in a non-oxidizing atmosphere the titanium carbide-nickel powder to a mold provided with close-fitting pistons and in either sequence (a) applying to the powder by means of said piston a pressure of 100 to 200 psi, and (b) introducing the mold into a vacuum furnace preheated to a temperature in the range of from 1,000* to 1,475*C.; III. heating said mixture under vacuum to about 1,400*C. in 2 to 20 minutes while maintaining a pressure on said mixture of from 100 to 200 psi; IV. maintaining the temperature and pressure of Step III for about 2 minutes; V. maintaining a temperature of Step IV and applying a pressure on said mixture of about 4,000 psi for about 4 minutes; and VI. immediately releasing the pressure on the pistons, removing the mold from the furnace and cooling the resulting titanium carbide-nickel composition to dull red heat in about 5 minutes.