Low temperature, low pressure, ductile, bonded cermet for enhanced abrasion and erosion performance

A method for making wear resistant cermet material for use as an abrasion and erosion resistant surface, comprising:

• (a) providing abrasion resistant particles;
• (b) providing solid matrix material which is reactive with said abrasion resistant particles;
• (c) placing a mixture of said abrasion resistant particles and said solid matrix material within a neutral or reducing environment purged of oxygen;
• and
• (d) sintering said mixture of said abrasion resistant particles and said solid matrix material in a mold within said neutral or reducing environment purged of oxygen at a sintering temperature at least equal to the liquidus temperature of said solid matrix material and at applied pressure less than about 1,000 psi, thereby forming a wear resistant material consisting essentially of
• (i) abrasion resistant particles reacted with a bonding material formed during said sintering by a reaction between said abrasion resistant particles and at least one element within said solid matrix material, and
• (ii) a contiguous matrix in which said abrasion resistant particles are suspended and to which said abrasion resistant particles are bonded with said bonding material.

A method for making wear resistant cermet material for use as an abrasion and erosion resistant surface, comprising:

• (a) providing abrasion resistant particles;
• (b) providing solid matrix material which is reactive with said abrasion resistant particles;
• (c) placing a mixture of said abrasion resistant particles and said solid matrix material within a neutral or reducing environment purged of oxygen;
• and
• (d) sintering said mixture of said abrasion resistant particles and said solid matrix material in a mold within said neutral or reducing environment purged of oxygen at a sintering temperature at least equal to the liquidus temperature of said solid matrix material, thereby forming a wear resistant material consisting essentially of
• (i) abrasion resistant particles reacted with a bonding material formed during said sintering by a reaction between said abrasion resistant particles and at least one element within said solid matrix material, and
• (ii) a contiguous matrix in which said abrasion resistant particles are suspended and to which said abrasion resistant particles are bonded with said bonding material,
• wherein said wear resistant cermet material is formed directly on a support structure by placing said mixture in said mold and adjacent to said support structure and performing said sintering under an applied pressure, and wherein said sintering is performed at a sintering temperature of less than about 1,200 degrees centigrade at a pressure of less than about 1,000 pounds per square inch for a sintering period of less than five minutes.

A method for making wear resistant material comprising:

• (a) providing abrasion resistant particles;
• (b) providing solid matrix material which is reactive with said abrasion resistant particles;
• (c) placing a mixture of said abrasion resistant particles and said solid matrix material within a neutral or reducing environment purged of oxygen;
• and
• (d) sintering said mixture of said abrasion resistant particles and said solid matrix material within said neutral or reducing environment at a sintering temperature at least equal to the liquidus temperature of said solid matrix material, thereby forming a wear resistant material consisting essentially of
• (i) abrasion resistant particles reacted with a bonding material formed during said sintering by a reaction between said abrasion resistant particles and said solid matrix material, and
• (ii) a contiguous matrix in which said abrasion resistant particles are suspended and to which said abrasion, wherein said wear resistant material is formed directly on a support structure by performing said sintering under an applied pressure and wherein said sintering is performed at a sintering temperature of less than about 1200 degrees centigrade at a pressure of less than about 1000 pounds per square inch for a sintering period of less than five minutes.

A method for making wear resistant cermet material for use as an abrasion and erosion resistant surface, comprising:

• (a) providing abrasion resistant particles;
• (b) providing solid matrix material which is reactive with said abrasion resistant particles;
• (c) placing a mixture of said abrasion resistant particles and said solid matrix material within a neutral or reducing environment purged of oxygen;
• and
• (d) sintering said mixture of said abrasion resistant particles and said solid matrix material in a mold within said neutral or reducing environment purged of oxygen at a sintering temperature at least equal to the liquidus temperature of said solid matrix material, thereby forming a wear resistant material consisting essentially of
• (i) abrasion resistant particles reacted with a bonding material formed during said sintering by a reaction between said abrasion resistant particles and at least one element within said solid matrix material, and
• (ii) a contiguous matrix in which said abrasion resistant particles are suspended and to which said abrasion resistant particles are bonded with said bonding material,
• wherein the surface of said cermet wear resistant material is further processed to enhance abrasion resistant and erosion resistant properties.

A wear resistant cermet material for use as abrasion and erosion resistant surfaces, comprising:

• (a) particles of abrasion resistant material;
• (b) bonding material which wets and reacts with said particles of abrasion resistant particles;
• (c) contiguous matrix material in which said reacted particles of abrasion resistant materials are suspended and bonded;
• and
• (d) a surface film to enhance abrasion resistant and erosion resistant properties.