Cemented carbide containing muli-component high entropy carbide and/or multi-component high entropy alloy

Abstract

A sintered cemented carbide includes a high entropy carbide or a spinodal decomposed product thereof; and a metallic binder containing at least one of Co, Co—Ru, Ni, Co—Ni, Co—Cr, Co—Ni—Cr, Co—Re, Co—Ni—Re, Co—Ni—Ru, or a high entropy alloy, wherein the high entropy carbide is a single-phase solid solution carbide comprising four to ten metallic elements, and the spinodal decomposed product thereof includes two chemically distinct phases having a same crystal structure. A sintered cemented carbide also includes a carbide including at least one of WC, TiC, ZrC, HfC, NbC, TaC, or Cr 3 C 2 ; and a metallic binder including a high entropy alloy. The high entropy alloy is an alloy of four to ten alloy elements selected from Al, Be, Fe, Co, Cr, Ni, Cu, W, V, Zr, Ti, Mn, Hf, Nb, Mo, Ru, Re, Ge, Sn, C, B, or Si.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A sintered cemented carbide comprising:
 a carbide comprising at least one of WC, TiC, ZrC, HfC, NbC, TaC, or Cr 3 C 2 ; and   a metallic binder comprising a high entropy alloy,   wherein the high entropy alloy is an alloy comprising four to ten alloy elements selected from the group consisting of Al, Be, Fe, Co, Cr, Ni, Cu, W, V, Zr, Ti, Mn, Hf, Nb, Mo, Ru, Re, Ge, Sn, C, B, and Si.   
     
     
         2 . The sintered cemented carbide of  claim 1 , wherein the cemented carbide comprises about 60 to about 98 volume percent of the carbide, and about 40 to about 2 volume percent of the metallic binder, each based on a total volume of the sintered cemented carbide. 
     
     
         3 . The sintered cemented carbide of  claim 2  consisting of the carbide and the metallic binder. 
     
     
         4 . The sintered cemented carbide of  claim 1 , wherein in the high entropy alloy, the alloy elements form a primary face centered cubic or body centered cubic solid solution phase. 
     
     
         5 . The sintered cemented carbide of  claim 4 , wherein the high entropy alloy further comprises a secondary strengthening phase. 
     
     
         6 . The sintered cemented carbide of  claim 5 , wherein the secondary strengthening phase comprises at least one of an ordered L1 2  structured phase, or an E2 1  structured phase. 
     
     
         7 . The sintered cemented carbide of  claim 6 , wherein the secondary strengthening phase comprises the L1 2  phase, and the L1 2  phase is of a form A 3 B where A is one or more of Ni, Co, Fe, or Mn, B is one or more of Al, Ti, Sn, Si, Ge, Ru, Re, or W. 
     
     
         8 . The sintered cemented carbide of  claim 6 , wherein the secondary strengthening phase comprises the E2 1  phase, and the E2 1  phase is of a form of A 3 BC x ,
 C is the element carbon, and x varies between 0.25 and 1;   A is one or more of Co, Ni, Fe, Mn, Ti, Zr, or Hf; and   B is one or more of Al, Ti, Sn, Si, Ge, Ru, Re, or W.   
     
     
         9 . An earth-boring tool comprising a body and at least a cutting element secured to the body, wherein the cutting element comprises the sintered cemented carbide of  claim 1 . 
     
     
         10 . A tool comprising a polycrystalline diamond composite, wherein the polycrystalline diamond composite comprises a polycrystalline diamond and a substrate comprising the sintered cemented carbide of  claim 1 .