Chrome composite materials

Abstract

A method of making a composite chrome powder is provided. The method includes selecting a ferrochrome material. The ferrochrome material is mixed together with a nickel-based material, and a composite chrome powder is generated from the mixture.

1 - 14 . (canceled)  
     
     
         15 . A chrome composite powder, comprising: 
 a high carbon ferrochrome component;    a nickel-based component; and    at least one of activated carbon and graphite powder.    
     
     
         16 . The composite powder of  claim 15 , wherein the high carbon ferrochrome component contains iron up to about 65% by weight.  
     
     
         17 . The composite powder of  claim 15 , wherein the high carbon ferrochrome component contains carbon up to about 14% by weight.  
     
     
         18 . The composite powder of  claim 15 , wherein the high carbon ferrochrome component has a chrome content of about 15 percent by weight to about 75 percent by weight.  
     
     
         19 . The composite powder of  claim 15 , wherein the high carbon ferrochrome component has an iron content less than about 35% by weight.  
     
     
         20 . The composite powder of  claim 15 , wherein the high carbon ferrochrome component has a total weight percentage of no more than about 5 percent by weight provided by one or more of the following elements: silicon, titanium, niobium, vanadium, tantalum, molybdenum, tungsten, and manganese.  
     
     
         21 - 24 . (canceled)  
     
     
         25 . A chrome composite powder, comprising: 
 a plurality of particles, wherein at least some of the particles include: 
 a carbide-metal matrix composite structure having:  
 a matrix material including at least one of nickel, nickel-chromium, and iron chrome; and  
 a plurality of Fe—Cr-carbide particles dispersed in the matrix material;  
 wherein the Fe—Cr particles include at least one of (CrFe) 7 C 3 , (CrFe) 23 C 6 , and (CrFe) 3 C 2 .  
   
     
     
         26 . A chrome composite powder, comprising: 
 a plurality of particles, wherein at least some of the particles include:    a ferrochrome core material; and    at least one of a nickel layer and a nickel-chromium layer clad on the ferrochrome core material    wherein the ferrochrome core material includes at least one of (CrFe 7 C 3 , (CrFe) 23 C 6 , and (CrFe) 3 C 2 .    
     
     
         27 . A composite material, comprising: 
 a nickel-based component;    a ferrochrome component dispersed within the nickel-based component; and    at least one of activated carbon and graphite.    
     
     
         28 . The composite material of  claim 27 , wherein the ferrochrome component contains iron up to about 35 percent by weight.  
     
     
         29 . (canceled)  
     
     
         30 . The composite material of  claim 27 , wherein the ferrochrome component contains carbon up to about 14 percent by weight.  
     
     
         31 . The composite material of  claim 27 , wherein the ferrochrome component has a chrome content of between about 15% and about 75% by weight.  
     
     
         32 . The composite material of  claim 27 , further including no more than about 5 percent by weight provided by any one of silicon, titanium, niobium, vanadium, tantalum, molybdenum, tungsten, and manganese.  
     
     
         33 . The composite material of  claim 27 , further including no more than about 10 percent by weight provided by any combination of silicon, titanium, niobium, vanadium, tantalum, molybdenum, tungsten, and manganese.  
     
     
         34 . A composite material comprising: 
 a nickel-based material forming a nickel matrix; and    a plurality of carbon ferrochrome particles dispersed in the nickel matrix;    wherein at least some of the carbon ferrochrome particles include at least one of (CrFe) 7 C 3 , (CrFe) 23 C 6 , and (CrFe) 3 C 2 .    
     
     
         35 . The composite material of  claim 34 , wherein the composite material has a Knoop hardness value of between about 950 to 1200 HK.  
     
     
         36 . The composite material of  claim 34 , wherein the plurality of carbon ferrochrome particles dispersed in the nickel matrix are disposed as a coating on a substrate material.  
     
     
         37 . The composite material of  claim 36 , wherein the substrate material includes an engine component.  
     
     
         38 . The composite material of  claim 36 , wherein the substrate material includes a bearing.  
     
     
         39 . A composite material comprising: 
 a nickel-based material forming a nickel matrix, and    a plurality of carbon ferrochrome particles dispersed in the nickel matrix;    wherein the plurality of carbon ferrochrome particles dispersed in the nickel matrix are disposed as a coating on a substrate material, and the substrate material includes an axle.    
     
     
         40 . A method of forming a coating on a substrate, the method comprising: 
 mixing a ferrochrome material with a nickel-based material to form a mixture;    generating a composite chrome powder from the mixture;    supplying the composite chrome powder to a coating apparatus; and    forming a chrome-including composite material coating on at least one surface of the substrate;    wherein the ferrochrome material includes at least one of (CrFe) 7 C 3 , (CrFe) 23 C 6 , and (CrFe) 3 C 2 .    
     
     
         41 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the coating apparatus includes a high velocity oxy-fuel (HVOF) system.  
     
     
         42 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the coating apparatus includes a detonation spray system.  
     
     
         43 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the chrome-including composite material coating has a Knoop hardness value of between about 950 to 1200 HK.  
     
     
         44 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the substrate includes an engine component.  
     
     
         45 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the substrate includes a bearing.  
     
     
         46 . A method of forming a coating on a substrate, the method comprising: 
 mixing a ferrochrome material with a nickel-based material to form a mixture;    generating a composite chrome powder from the mixture;    supplying the composite chrome powder to a coating apparatus; and    forming a chrome-including composite material coating on at least one surface of the substrate;    wherein the substrate includes an axle.    
     
     
         47 . (canceled)  
     
     
         48 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the ferrochrome material has an iron to chrome weight ratio of from about 0.2 to 0.5 by weight and a carbon to chrome ratio of from about 0 to 0.2 by weight.  
     
     
         49 . The method of  claim 40 , wherein the chrome-including composite material coating includes a plurality of ferrochrome particles dispersed in a nickel matrix.