# US 10,501,376 B2 · Functionally graded carbides

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- Number: US 10,501,376 B2
- Document ID: US10501376B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 15/545,248
- Filed: 2016-01-22
- Published: 2018-10-11
- Granted: 2019-12-10
- Earliest claimed: 2015-01-22
- Assignees: University of Utah Research Foundation
- Applicants: University of Utah Research Foundation
- Inventors: Dinesh Shetty; Raymond Cutler; Michael M. Sygnatowicz
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US10501376B2

## CPC

- C04B 35/5607: {based on refractory metal carbides}
- B32B 15/04: comprising metal as the main or only constituent of a layer, {which is} next to another layer of {the same or of} a {different material (next to a bituminous or tarry layer B32B11/08; next to a water-setting substance layer B32B13/06; next to a glass layer B32B17/061; next to a cellulosic plastic layer B32B23/042)}
- C22C 1/055: using carbon
- C22C 27/02: Alloys based on vanadium, niobium, or tantalum
- C22C 29/02: based on carbides or carbonitrides
- B22F 2207/01: Composition gradients
- B22F 2998/10: Processes characterised by the sequence of their steps
- B22F 2999/00: Aspects linked to processes or compositions used in powder metallurgy
- C22C 29/06: based on carbides, but not containing other metal compounds
- C04B: LIME, MAGNESIA; SLAG; CEMENTS; COMPOSITIONS THEREOF, e.g. MORTARS, CONCRETE OR LIKE BUILDING MATERIALS; ARTIFICIAL STONE {(roofing granules E04D7/005)}; CERAMICS (devitrified glass-ceramics C03C10/00); REFRACTORIES; TREATMENT OF NATURAL STONE
- B32B: LAYERED PRODUCTS, i.e. PRODUCTS BUILT-UP OF STRATA OF FLAT OR NON-FLAT, e.g. CELLULAR OR HONEYCOMB, FORM
- C22C: ALLOYS (treatment of alloys C21D, C22F)
- B22F: WORKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; MAKING METALLIC POWDER (making alloys by powder metallurgy C22C); APPARATUS OR DEVICES SPECIALLY ADAPTED FOR METALLIC POWDER

## Abstract

A functionally graded carbide body (400) can include a group 5 metal carbide substrate having a bulk composition region (410) that contains at least 70 wt % of a rhombohedral ζ-phase carbide. A γ-phase-rich region (420) having a γ-phase-rich composition can be at a surface (430) of the substrate, and a phase composition gradient region (440) can transition from the γ-phase-rich composition region at the surface to the bulk composition region at a gradient depth (450) below the surface.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A functionally graded carbide body of a group 5 metal carbide, comprising:
a bulk composition region comprising at least 70 wt % of a rhombohedral ζ-phase carbide of the group 5 metal carbide;
a γ-phase-rich region having a γ-phase-rich composition at a surface of the carbide body; and
a phase composition gradient region transitioning from the γ-phase-rich composition region to the bulk composition region at a gradient depth below the surface.

### Claim 2 (depends on 1)

The functionally graded carbide body of claim 1, wherein the γ-phase-rich composition region is from 70 wt % to 100 wt % γ-phase.

### Claim 3 (depends on 1)

The functionally graded carbide body of claim 1, wherein the phase composition gradient region transitions substantially continuously from the γ-phase-rich composition region to the bulk composition region.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The functionally graded carbide body of claim 1, wherein the γ-phase-rich composition region has a substantially uniform carbon to group 5 metal atomic ratio to a first depth from the surface, and then transitions continuously to the bulk composition region at the gradient depth.

### Claim 5 (depends on 4)

The functionally graded carbide body of claim 4, wherein the first depth is from 2 micrometers to 30 micrometers.

### Claim 6 (depends on 1)

The functionally graded carbide body of claim 1, wherein the gradient depth is from 5 micrometers to 50 micrometers.

### Claim 7 (depends on 1)

The functionally graded carbide body of claim 1, wherein the carbide body is a substantially pure carbide.

### Claim 8 (depends on 1)

The functionally graded carbide body of claim 1, wherein the carbide body has a surface hardness HK0.1 of about 10 GPa to about 25 GPa.

### Claim 9 (depends on 1)

The functionally graded carbide body of claim 1, wherein the carbide body has a bulk fracture toughness of about 10 MPa√m to about 15 MPa√m.

### Claim 10 (depends on 1)

The functionally graded carbide body of claim 1, wherein the carbide body has a residual compressive stress at the surface.

### Claim 11 (depends on 1)

The functionally graded carbide body of claim 1, wherein the group 5 metal is tantalum.

### Claim 12 (depends on 11)

The functionally graded carbide body of claim 11, wherein the γ-phase-rich composition region has a carbon to tantalum atomic ratio from about 0.78 to about 1.0.

### Claim 13 (depends on 1)

The functionally graded carbide body of claim 1, wherein the group 5 metal is niobium.

### Claim 14 (depends on 13)

The functionally graded carbide body of claim 13, wherein the γ-phase-rich composition region has a carbon to niobium atomic ratio from about 0.73 to about 1.0.

### Claim 15 (depends on 1)

The functionally graded carbide body of claim 1, wherein the group 5 metal is vanadium.

### Claim 16 (depends on 15)

The functionally graded carbide body of claim 15, wherein the γ-phase-rich composition region has a carbon to vanadium atomic ratio from about 0.7 to about 0.88.