Liquid phase sintered dense composite bodies and method for producing the same

A method of making a liquid phase sintered dense composite body comprising a first multiplicity of particles including at least one base refractory metal carbide selected from the group consisting of TiC and WC, a second multiplicity of particles including at least one cementing metal component which cements together said first multiplicity of particles after having been melted by liquid phase sintering and then solidified, and a multiplicity of metallic elements having the same composition as said cementing metal component integrally incorporated with said composite body, said method comprising the steps of:

• preparing a powder of said hard refractory metal carbide;
• preparing a powder of said at least one cementing metal component;
• preparing said multiplicity of metallic elements in the form of at least one of coarse grains, strands and plates, said metallic elements having a melting point which is at least 120.degree. C. higher than the eutectic temperature of said refractory and cementing metals and a thickness which is at least twenty times the grain size of said cementing metal component;
• mixing said powders of hard refractory metal carbide and cementing metal component to form a powder mixture;
• incorporating said multiplicity of metallic elements with said powder mixture at a predetermined position;
• compacting said powder mixture and incorporated multiplicity of metallic elements;
• and
• heating the thus prepared compacted powder mixture and metallic elements to a temperature in the range 1280.degree. C.-1350.degree. C. to form a eutectic liquid phase at which sintering takes place, said heating being carried out for a sufficient time to cement said hard refractory metal carbide with said eutectic, said incorporated multiplicity of metallic elements being maintained at said predetermined position without being destroyed.