Molybdenum monocarbide-tungsten monocarbide solid solutions

Claim 2

A process for forming a WC-MoC solid solution alloy comprising the steps of: (a) intensely milling Mo and W metal powders; (b) applying a homogenization heat treatment in the range of approximately 1000° to 1500° C. to said milled Mo and W metal powders thus forming a Mo-W solid solution alloy; (c) crushing the Mo-W solid solution alloy to a fine powder; (d) mixing the crushed Mo-W solid solution alloy powder with the stoichiometric amount of carbon of the carbide to be formed; and (e) heating the mixture of step (d) at approximately 1100° to 1450° C. to form the desired WC-Mo C. alloy.

Claim 3

A process as recited in claim 1 in which the milling in step (a) is a dry attritor milling.

Claim 4

A process as recited in claim 1 in which the milling in step (a) is a dry ball milling.

Claim 5

A process as recited in claim 1 in which the homogenization heat treatment is performed at approximately 1450° C.

Claim 6

A process as recited in claim 1 in which the thorough mixing in step (d) is done by ball milling.

Claim 7

A process as recited in claim 1 in which the thorough mixing in step (d) is done by attritor milling.

Claim 8

A process as recited in claim 1 in which 0.5 to 1.0 weight percent of a metal selected from the group consisting of iron, cobalt and nickel is mixed with the crushed Mo-W solid solution alloy powder and carbon in step (d).

Claim 9

A process as recited in claim 7 in which the metal which is mixed with the crushed Mo-W solid solution alloy powder and carbon in step (d) is iron.

Claim 10

A process as recited in claim 7 in which the metal which is mixed with the crushed Mo-W solid solution alloy powder and carbon in step (d) is cobalt.

Claim 11

A process as recited in claim 7 in which the metal which is mixed with the crushed Mo-W solid solution alloy powder and carbon in step (d) is nickel.

Claim 12

A process as recited in claim 1 in which the heating in step (e) is performed at a temperature in the range of approximately 1200° to 1300° C.

Claim 13

A process as recited in claim 1 in which the mixing in step (d) comprises the mixing of 50 atomic percent Mo-W solid solution alloy with 50 atomic percent carbon.

Claim 14

A process for forming a MC-Mo C solid solution alloy comprising the steps of: (a) intensely dry attritor milling of Mo and W metal powders; (b) applying a homogenization heat treatment of approximately 1450° C. to said milled Mo and W metal powders thus forming a Mo-W solid solution alloy; (c) crushing the Mo-W solid solution alloy to a fine powder of about -35 mesh; (d) thoroughly mixing by attritor milling, the crushed Mo-W solid solution alloy powder with the stoichiometric amount of carbon of the carbide to be formed and 0.5 to 1.0 weight percent of a metal selected from the group consisting of iron, cobalt and nickel; and (e) heating the mixture of step (d) at a temperature in the range of approximately 1200° to 1300° C. to form the desired WC-Mo C alloy.

Claim 15

A process for forming a MC-Mo C solid solution alloy comprising the steps of: (a) intensely dry attritor milling of Mo and W metal powders; (b) applying a homogenization heat treatment of approximately 1450° C. to said milled Mo and W metal powders thus forming a Mo-W solid solution alloy; (c) crushing the Mo-W solid solution alloy to a fine powder of about -35 mesh; (d) thoroughly mixing by attritor milling, the crushed Mo-W solid solution alloy powder with the stoichiometric amount of carbon of the carbide to be formed and 0.5 to 1.0 weight percent of a metal selected from the group consisting of iron, cobalt and nickel; and (e) heating the mixture of step (d) at a temperature in the range of approximately 1200° to 1300° C. to form the desired WC-Mo C alloy.

Claim 16

A process for forming a Mo C-20 mole percent WC(31.2 weight percent WC) solid solution alloy comprising the steps of: (a) dry attritor milling 8,112 grams of Mo metal powder and 3,888 grams of W metal powder for a period of about 30 hours at 300 rpm; (b) placing the milled Mo and W metal powders in Mo boats; (c) heating the milled Mo and W metal powders at a temperature of approximately 1450° C. in an atmosphere of hydrogen for about six hours to form a Mo-20 mole percent W solid solution alloy; (d) crushing the Mo-20 mole percent W solid solution alloy to a fine powder of about -35 mesh; (e) thoroughly mixing 5,424 grams of the Mo-20 mole percent W solid solution alloy powder with 576 grams of carbon and 60 grams of cobalt by wet-ball-milling for a period of six hours so as to form a slurry; (f) drying the slurry formed in step (e) to form a powder; (g) screening the dried powder of step (f); (h) placing the screened powder of step (g) into graphite boats; and (i) heating the powder of step (h) to about 1250° in hydrogen for about eight hours.

Claim 17

A process for forming a Mo C-20 mole percent WC(31.2 weight percent WC) solid solution alloy comprising the steps of: (a) dry attritor milling 8,112 grams of Mo metal powder and 3,888 grams of W metal powder for a period of about 30 hours at 300 rpm; (b) placing the milled Mo and W metal powders in Mo boats; (c) heating the milled Mo and W metal powders at a temperature of approximately 1450° C. in an atmosphere of hydrogen for about six hours to form a Mo-20 mole percent W solid solution alloy; (d) crushing the Mo-20 mole percent W solid solution alloy to a fine powder of about -35 mesh; (e) thoroughly mixing 5,424 grams of the Mo-20 mole percent W solid solution alloy powder with 576 grams of carbon and 60 grams of cobalt by wet-ball-milling for a period of six hours so as to form a slurry; (f) drying the slurry formed in step (e) to form a powder; (g) screening the dried powder of step (f); (h) placing the screened powder of step (g) into graphite boats; and (i) heating the powder of step (h) to about 1250° in hydrogen for about eight hours.