Method of producing refractory compound containing metal articles by high energy milling the individual powders together and consolidating them

Claim 2

A PROCESS FOR PRODUCING A HARD REFRACTORY BODY HAVING AT LEAST ONE REFRACTORY COMPOUND DISPERSED THROUGHOUT A METAL MATRIX, THE REFRACTORY COMPOUND(S) CONSTITUTING AT LEAST ABOUT 40% BY VOLUME OF THE REFRACTORY BODY, WHICH COMPRISES FORMING A POWDER CHARGE CONTAINING (I) A PLURALITY OF POWDER PARTICLES CONTAINING AT LEAST ONE HARD REFRACTORY COMPOUND FORMING METAL, (II) POWDER PARTICLES OF AT LEAST ONE CONSTITUENT CAPABLE OF COMBINING WITH THE REFRACTORY FORMING METAL(S) TO FORM THE DESIRED REFRACTORY COMPOUND(S), THE SAID CONSTITUENT BEING PRESENT IN AT LEAST A STOICHIOMETRIC RELATION TO THE REFRACTORY METALM AND (III) POWDER PARTICLES OF AT LEAST ONE MATRIX BINDER METAL, SUBJECTING THE POWDER CHARGE TO DRY, INTENSIVE, HIGH ENERGY MILLING FOR A PERIOD SUFFICIENT TO FORM COMPOSITE PARTICLES IN WHICH THE CONSITUTENTS OF THE REFRACTORY COMPOUND(S) AND THE MATRIX METAL ARE INTIMATELY UNITED AND INTERDISPERSED, AND THEREAFTER CONSOLIDATING THE COMPOSITE PARTICLES AND SINTERING AT AN ELEVATED TEMPERATURE TO PRODUCE THE DESIRED HARD REFRACTORY BODY.

Claim 3

A process in accordance with claim 1 in which a portion of the refractory forming elements comprising the powder charge is added in compound form.

Claim 4

A process for producing a hard refractory body having at least one refractory compound dispersed throughout a metal matrix, the refractory compound(s) constituting at least about 40% by volume of the refractory body, which comprises forming a powder charge containing (i) a plurality of powder particles of at least one hard refractory compound forming metal, (ii) powder particles of at least one constituent capable of combining with the refractory metal(s) to form the desired refractory compound(s), the said constituent being present in at least a stoichiometric relation to the refractory metal, and (iii) powder particles of at least one matrix binder metal, subjecting the powder charge to dry, intensive, high energy milling for a period sufficient to form composite particles in which the powder constituents of (i), (ii) and (iii) are intimately united and interdispersed, subjecting the composite particles to a preheat treatment within the range of about 1,200*F. to about 1,800*F. to facilitate subsequent sintering and then consolidating the composite particles and sintering at an elevated temperature to produce the desired hard refractory body.

Claim 5

A process for producing a hard refractory body having at least one refractory compound dispersed throughout a metal matrix, the refractory compound(s) constituting at least about 40% by volume of the refractory body, which comprises forming a powder charge containing (i) a plurality of powder particles of at least one hard refractory compound forming metal, (ii) powder particles of at least one constituent capable of combining with the refractory metal(s) to form the desired refractory compound(s), the said constituent being present in at least a stoichiometric relation to the refractory metal, and (iii) powder particles of at least one matrix binder metal, subjecting the powder charge to dry, intensive, high energy milling for a period sufficient to form composite particles in which the powder constituents of (i), (ii) and (iii) are intimately united and interdispersed, subjecting the composite particles to a preheat treatment within the range of about 1,200*F. to about 1,800*F. to facilitate subsequent sintering and then consolidating the composite particles and sintering at an elevated temperature to produce the desired hard refractory body.

Claim 6

A process in accordance with claim 3 in which the preheat treatment temperature is from about 1,500*F. to about 1,700*F.

Claim 7

A process in accordance with claim 3 in which the refractory compound forming metal is tungsten, the constituent forming the refractory compound is carbon and the matrix metal is essentially cobalt.

Claim 8

A process for producing a hard refractory body having at least one refractory compound dispersed throughout a metal matrix, the refractory compound(s) constituting at least about 40% by volume of the refractory body, which comprises forming a powder charge containing (i) a plurality of powder particles containing least one hard refractory compound forming metal, graphite particles to combine with the refractory forming metal(s) to form the desired refractory compound(s), the graphite particles being present in at least a stoichiometric relation to the refractory metal, and (iii) powder particles of at least one matrix binder metal, subjecting the powder charge to dry, intensive, high energy milling at a ball-to-powder ratio of at least about 10:1 and for a period sufficient to form composite particles in which the constituents of the refractory compound(s) and the matrix metal are intimately united and interdispersed, and thereafter consolidating the composite particles and sintering at an elevated temperature to produce the desired hard refractory body.

Claim 9

A process for producing a hard refractory body having at least one refractory compound dispersed throughout a metal matrix, the refractory compound(s) constituting at least about 40% by volume of the refractory body, which comprises forming a powder charge containing (i) a plurality of powder particles containing least one hard refractory compound forming metal, graphite particles to combine with the refractory forming metal(s) to form the desired refractory compound(s), the graphite particles being present in at least a stoichiometric relation to the refractory metal, and (iii) powder particles of at least one matrix binder metal, subjecting the powder charge to dry, intensive, high energy milling at a ball-to-powder ratio of at least about 10:1 and for a period sufficient to form composite particles in which the constituents of the refractory compound(s) and the matrix metal are intimately united and interdispersed, and thereafter consolidating the composite particles and sintering at an elevated temperature to produce the desired hard refractory body.