# US 9,038,701 B2 · Systems and methods for producing a hardwearing alloy material > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 9,038,701 B2 - Document ID: US9038701B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 14/312,215 - Filed: 2014-06-23 - Published: 2014-12-25 - Granted: 2015-05-26 - Earliest claimed: 2013-06-25 - Applicants: Yuanji Zhu - Inventors: Yuanji Zhu - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9038701B2 ## CPC - B22D 19/14: the objects being filamentary or particulate in form (making alloys containing fibres or filaments by contacting the fibres or filaments with molten metal C22C47/08) - C04B 35/10: based on aluminium oxide - C22C 1/02: by melting {(C22C1/1036 takes precedence)} - C22C 29/12: based on oxides - C22C 33/0285: {with Cr, Co, or Ni having a minimum content higher than 5%} - B22D: CASTING OF METALS; CASTING OF OTHER SUBSTANCES BY THE SAME PROCESSES OR DEVICES (shaping of plastics or substances in a plastic state B29C; metallurgical processing, selection of substances to be added to metal C21, C22) - 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 - C22C: ALLOYS (treatment of alloys C21D, C22F) ## Abstract Described herein are systems and methods for producing a hardwearing or wear-resistant material. In one aspect, a first group of materials comprising zirconium dioxide (ZrO2), aluminum oxide (Al2O3), and one or both of calcium oxide (CaO) and yttrium oxide (Y2O3) may be mixed, heated, and cooled to yield a first mixture. The first mixture may be used to generate granules that may then be mixed with a second group of materials comprising iron, nickel, manganese, titanium, carbon, chromium, and optionally, a paraffin, to yield a second mixture. The second mixture may then be compressed, cast, cooled, and heat treated to yield the hardwearing or wear-resistant material. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A process for producing a wear-resistant material, the process comprising: providing a first group of materials, the first group of materials comprising zirconium dioxide and aluminum oxide; mixing the first group of materials to produce a first mixture; crushing the first mixture to produce a plurality of granules; providing a second group of materials, the second group of materials comprising carbon, chromium, and iron; mixing the second group of materials with the plurality of granules to produce a second mixture; and casting the second mixture with a liquid metal to produce the wear-resistant material. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The process of claim 1, wherein the first group of materials further comprises at least one of calcium oxide and yttrium oxide. ### Claim 3 (depends on 2) The process of claim 2, wherein the first group of materials comprises, by mass percentage, approximately 38.8% to 39.3% of zirconium dioxide, approximately 58.3% to 58.9% of aluminum oxide, and approximately 1.8% to 2.9% of at least one of calcium oxide and yttrium oxide. ### Claim 4 (depends on 2) The process of claim 2, further comprising heating the first mixture to a liquid state. ### Claim 5 (depends on 4) The process of claim 4, wherein the heating the first mixture comprises heating the first mixture to a temperature of at least approximately 2730° C. ### Claim 6 (depends on 4) The process of claim 4, further comprising: after the heating the first mixture, cooling the first mixture to a solid state before the crushing the first mixture to produce a plurality of granules. ### Claim 7 (depends on 6) The process of claim 6, wherein the cooling the first mixture to a solid state comprises cooling the first mixture to approximately room temperature. ### Claim 8 (depends on 6) The process of claim 6, the plurality of granules having an average radius of less than approximately 1 mm. ### Claim 9 (depends on 8) The process of claim 8, the plurality of granules having an average radius of less than approximately 0.5 mm. ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The process of claim 1 wherein the liquid metal comprises at least one of high-chromium steel or high-manganese steel. ### Claim 11 A process for producing a wear-resistant material, the process comprising: mixing a first group of materials to produce a first mixture, the first group of materials comprising zirconium dioxide and aluminum oxide; crushing the first mixture to produce a plurality of granules; mixing the granules with a second group of materials to produce a second mixture, the second group of materials comprising carbon, chromium, and iron to produce a second mixture; and casting the second mixture with a liquid metal. ### Claim 12 (depends on 11) The process of claim 11, wherein the second group of materials comprises, by mass percentage, approximately 2% to 3% of carbon, approximately 25% to 38% of chromium, and approximately 50% to 58% of iron. ### Claim 13 (depends on 11) The process of claim 11, wherein the second group of materials further comprises at least one of nickel, manganese, and titanium. ### Claim 14 (depends on 13) The process of claim 13, further comprising mixing the second group of materials with a paraffin before mixing the granules with the second group of materials. ### Claim 15 (depends on 14) The process of claim 14, further comprising compressing the second mixture into a honeycomb structure comprising a plurality of apertures. ### Claim 16 (depends on 15) The process of claim 15, wherein the casting comprises casting the honeycomb structure with the liquid metal to produce a third mixture. ### Claim 17 (depends on 16) The process of claim 16, wherein the liquid metal comprises at least one of high-chromium steel or high-manganese steel. ### Claim 18 (depends on 16) The process of claim 16, further comprising insulating the third mixture for a predetermined period of time. ### Claim 19 (depends on 18) The process of claim 18, further comprising cooling the third mixture to a solid state. ### Claim 20 (depends on 19) The process of claim 19, further comprising subjecting the cooled third mixture to a heat treating process.