Process for producing titanium carbide, titanium nitride, or tungsten carbide hardened materials

Abstract

A process for producing a composite material of titanium carbide, titanium nitride, or tungsten carbide and metal or a metal alloy such as iron or steel or an alloy comprises blending together precursor materials including a titanium or tungsten source, a source of carbon, and a metal or a metal alloy and heating the precursor materials in a vacuum or an inert atmosphere or a nitrogen containing atmosphere to a temperature effective to form TiC, TiN or WC, to thereby form a material comprising particles of TiC, TiN or WC substantially encapsulated in a matrix of metal or metal alloy.

1 . A process for producing a composite material of titanium carbide, titanium nitride, or tungsten carbide and metal or a metal alloy, comprising blending together precursor materials including a titanium or a tungsten source, a source of carbon, and a metal or a metal alloy and heating the precursor materials in a vacuum or an inert atmosphere or a nitrogen containing atmosphere to a temperature effective to form TiC, TiN or WC, to thereby form a material comprising particles of TiC, TiN or WC substantially encapsulated in a matrix of metal or metal alloy.  
     
     
         2 . A process according to  claim 1  wherein the metal or metal alloy is iron or steel or an iron or steel alloy.  
     
     
         3 . A process according to either one of claims  1  and  2  for producing a composite material comprising WC including carrying out said heating a vacuum or in an inert atmosphere.  
     
     
         4 . A process according to either one of claims  1  and  2  for producing a composite material comprising TiN including carrying out said heating in a nitrogen containing atmosphere.  
     
     
         5 . A process according to either one of claims  2  and  4  wherein the titanium source includes titanium dioxide.  
     
     
         6 . A process according to either one of claims  2  and  4  where the titanium and iron source includes ilmenite, magnetite, or hemamite.  
     
     
         7 . A process according to any one of  claims 1  to  6  wherein the carbon source includes carbon black.  
     
     
         8 . A process according to any one of  claims 1  to  7  including blending all of the precursor materials in powdered or granular form before said heating.  
     
     
         9 . A process according to  claim 8  including blending the precursor materials in a liquid medium and then drying the precursor materials.  
     
     
         10 . A process according to  claim 8  including blending the precursor materials by milling or grinding the precursor materials together.  
     
     
         11 . A process according to any one of  claims 1  to  10  including forming a shaped body of the precursor materials after blending but before heating the precursor materials.  
     
     
         12 . A process according to  claim 11  wherein said shaped body is a billet or pellet.  
     
     
         13 . A process according to  claim 11  wherein said shaped body is substantially in the final shape of a component or product.  
     
     
         14 . A process according to any one of  claims 1  to  13  comprising carrying out said heating to a temperature in the range 1180 to 1450° C.  
     
     
         15 . A process according to any one of  claims 1  to  14  including the subsequent step of adding the product produced to a melt of metal or a metal alloy to distribute the TiC, TiN or WC particles throughout the metal or metal alloy.  
     
     
         16 . A process according to any one of  claims 1  to  14  wherein said composite materials are porous and optionally pre-shaped and including the subsequent step of contacting the porous cermet with a molten metal or metal alloy so that the metal or metal alloy infuses into and fills voids within the porous cermet material.  
     
     
         17 . A process according to  claim 16  wherein said metal which infuses into and fills voids within the porous cermet material includes iron or steel or an iron or steel alloy.  
     
     
         18 . A process according to  claim 16  wherein said metal which infuses into and fills voids within the porous cermet material includes aluminium or magnesium or an aluminium or magnesium alloy.  
     
     
         19 . A composite material of titanium carbide, titanium nitride, or tungsten carbide and metal or a metal alloy, produced by a process as claimed in any one of the preceding claims.