Cemented carbide and cermet compositions having a high-entropy alloy binder

Abstract

Provided are (I) cemented carbide compositions including a ceramic hard phase having metal carbides of niobium carbide, tungsten carbide, and tantalum carbide and (II) cermet compositions including a ceramic hard phase having metal carbides or carbonitrides of titanium carbonitride, niobium carbide, and tungsten carbide. The cemented carbide and the cermet compositions further include a high-entropy-alloy (HEA) binder phase having metals selected from one or more of nickel, molybdenum, cobalt, tungsten, iron and chromium. Associated methods of manufacturing cemented carbides and cermets and cutting tools incorporating the same are further contemplated.

1 . A cemented carbide composition, comprising:
 a ceramic hard phase present in an amount of from 70 wt. % to 93 wt. % based on the total weight of the cemented carbide composition; and   a high-entropy-alloy (HEA) binder phase present in an amount of from 7 wt. % to 30 wt. % based on the total weight of the cemented carbide composition, the HEA binder phase comprising one or more of nickel, molybdenum, cobalt, iron and chromium.   
     
     
         2 . The cemented carbide composition of  claim 1 , having an HV30 Vickers hardness of up to 1650 HV30 and a Palmqvist fracture toughness, K lc , of up to 7.5 MPa√m. 
     
     
         3 . The cemented carbide composition of  claim 1 , wherein the ceramic hard phase comprises tungsten carbide and niobium carbide. 
     
     
         4 . The cemented carbide composition of  claim 3 , wherein the tungsten carbide is present in an amount of from 1 wt. % to 45 wt. % and the niobium carbide is present in an amount of from 45 wt. % to 90 wt. % based on the total weight of the cemented carbide composition. 
     
     
         5 . The cemented carbide composition of  claim 4 , wherein the niobium carbide is present in an amount of 88 wt. % and the tungsten carbide is present in an amount of 2 wt. % based on the total weight of the cemented carbide composition. 
     
     
         6 . The cemented carbide composition of  claim 4 , wherein the niobium carbide is present in an amount of 69 wt. % and the tungsten carbide is present in an amount of 21 wt. % based on the total weight of the cemented carbide composition. 
     
     
         7 . The cemented carbide composition of  claim 4 , wherein the niobium carbide is present in an amount of 46 wt. % and the tungsten carbide is present in an amount of 44 wt. % based on the total weight of the cemented carbide composition. 
     
     
         8 . The cemented carbide composition of  claim 1 , wherein the nickel is present in an amount of from 3 wt. % to 8 wt. %, the molybdenum is present in an amount of from 2.75 wt. % to 5 wt. %, the cobalt is present in an amount of from 2.5 wt. % to 8 wt. %, the iron is present in an amount of from 0.75 wt. % to 4 wt. % and the chromium is present in an amount of from 0.25 wt. % to 4 wt. % based on the total weight of the cemented carbide composition. 
     
     
         9 . The cemented carbide composition of  claim 8 , wherein the nickel is present in an amount of 3.15 wt. %, the molybdenum is present in an amount of 2.9 wt. %, the cobalt is present in an amount of 2.7 wt. %, the iron is present in an amount of 0.85 wt. % and the chromium is present in an amount of 0.4 wt. % based on the total weight of the cemented carbide composition. 
     
     
         10 . A cermet composition, comprising:
 a ceramic hard phase present in an amount of from 60 wt. % to 82 wt. % based on the total weight of the cermet composition; and   a high-entropy-alloy (HEA) binder phase present in an amount of from 18 wt. % to 40 wt. % based on the total weight of the cermet composition, the HEA binder phase comprising one or more of cobalt, nickel and molybdenum.   
     
     
         11 . The cermet composition of  claim 10 , wherein the ceramic hard phase comprises titanium carbonitride, niobium carbide and tungsten carbide. 
     
     
         12 . The cermet composition of  claim 11 , wherein the titanium carbonitride is present in an amount of from 50 wt. % to 70 wt. %, the niobium carbide is present in an amount of from 1 wt. % to 20 wt. % and the tungsten carbide is present in an amount of from 1 wt. % to 10 wt. % based on the total weight of the cermet composition. 
     
     
         13 . The cermet composition of  claim 12 , wherein the titanium carbonitride is present in an amount of 50 wt. %, the niobium carbide is present in an amount of 20 wt. % and the tungsten carbide is present in an amount of 8 wt. % based on the total weight of the cermet composition. 
     
     
         14 . The cermet composition of  claim 10 , wherein the cobalt is present in an amount of from 7 wt. % to 13 wt. %, the nickel is present in an amount of from 7 wt. % to 13 wt. % and the molybdenum is present in an amount of from 7 wt. % to 13 wt. % based on the total weight of the cermet composition. 
     
     
         15 . The cermet composition of  claim 14 , wherein the cobalt is present in an amount of 7.3 wt. %, the nickel is present in an amount of 7.3 wt. % and the molybdenum is present in an amount of 7.3 wt. % based on the total weight of the cermet composition. 
     
     
         16 . A cemented carbide composition, comprising:
 a ceramic hard phase present in an amount of from 60 wt. % to 85 wt. % based on the total weight of the cemented carbide composition; and   a high-entropy-alloy (HEA) binder phase present in an amount of from 15 wt. % to 40 wt. % based on the total weight of the cemented carbide composition, the HEA binder phase comprising one or more of cobalt, nickel, molybdenum and tungsten.   
     
     
         17 . The cemented carbide composition of  claim 16 , wherein the ceramic hard phase comprises niobium carbide and tantalum carbide. 
     
     
         18 . The cemented carbide composition of  claim 17 , wherein the niobium carbide is present in an amount of from 1 wt. % to 80 wt. % and the tantalum carbide is present in an amount of from 1 wt. % to 20 wt. % based on the total weight of the cemented carbide composition. 
     
     
         19 . The cemented carbide composition of  claim 18 , wherein the niobium carbide is present in an amount of 78 wt. % and the tantalum carbide is present in an amount of 3 wt. % based on the total weight of the cemented carbide composition. 
     
     
         20 . The cemented carbide composition of  claim 16 , wherein the cobalt is present in an amount of from 4.5 wt. % to 10 wt. %, the nickel is present in an amount of from 4.5 wt. % to 10 wt. %, the molybdenum is present in an amount of from 4.5 wt. % to 10 wt. % and the tungsten is present in an amount of from 4.5 wt. % to 10 wt. % based on the total weight of the cemented carbide composition. 
     
     
         21 . The cemented carbide composition of  claim 20 , wherein the cobalt is present in an amount of 4.75 wt. %, the nickel is present in an amount of 4.75 wt. %, the molybdenum is present in an amount of 4.75 wt. % and the tungsten is present in an amount of 4.75 wt. % based on the total weight of the cemented carbide composition. 
     
     
         22 . A method of making a sintered cemented carbide, comprising:
 (a) providing a powder mixture comprising powders forming hard constituents of a ceramic hard phase present in an amount of from 70 wt. % to 93 wt. % based on the total weight of the powder mixture and a high-entropy-alloy (HEA) binder phase present in an amount of from 7 wt. % to 30 wt. % based on the total weight of the powder mixture, the HEA binder phase comprising one or more of nickel, molybdenum, cobalt, iron and chromium;   (b) subjecting the powder mixture to a milling operation to form a powder blend;   (c) subjecting the powder blend to a forming operation to form a green body; and   (d) subjecting the green body to a sintering operation to form the sintered cemented carbide.   
     
     
         23 .- 30 . (canceled) 
     
     
         31 . A method of making a sintered cermet, comprising:
 (a) providing a powder mixture comprising powders forming hard constituents of a ceramic hard phase present in an amount of from 60 wt. % to 82 wt. % based on the total weight of the powder mixture and a high-entropy-alloy (HEA) binder phase present in an amount of from 18 wt. % to 40 wt. % based on the total weight of the powder mixture, the HEA binder phase comprising one or more of cobalt, nickel and molybdenum;   (b) subjecting the powder mixture to a milling operation to form a powder blend;   (c) subjecting the powder blend to a forming operation to form a green body; and   (d) subjecting the green body to a sintering operation to form the sintered cermet.   
     
     
         32 .- 39 . (canceled)