Cemented Carbide Base Material for Titanium Alloy Cutting Wear

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Solution Overview

Problem

Titanium alloys are difficult to process due to high reactivity, leading to chipping and wear of cutting tools, and existing techniques for improving tool life through surface coatings are not effective in reducing melting and deposition.

Innovation Solution

A cemented carbide base material with a controlled binder phase ratio near the surface and inclusion of a second hard phase, such as Group IV and V elements, to enhance wear resistance and heat resistance, combined with a specific surface and body portion composition to balance wear resistance and toughness.

Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles

VSEngineering Contradiction Analysis

1Strength

If surface coatings are applied to improve wear resistance, then wear resistance is improved, but melting and deposition of titanium alloy is not effectively suppressed

Engineering Contradiction:
Improvewear resistanceVSAvoideffectiveness in suppressing melting and deposition
Core Design Contradiction:
StrengthVSReliability

Solution Approach 1:

The invention changes the chemical composition parameters of the cemented carbide surface layer by controlling the ratio of binder phase to hard phase within specific ranges (binder phase 5-15 wt%, hard phase 85-95 wt%). This compositional parameter change creates a surface layer that inherently resists titanium alloy melting and deposition without requiring additional coatings, while maintaining adequate wear resistance.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #35Parameter changes

Solution Approach 2:

The invention creates a composite material structure within the cemented carbide surface layer by combining WC (tungsten carbide) hard phase particles with a controlled amount of binder phase (Co, Ni, or their alloys). This composite structure at the surface provides both wear resistance and resistance to titanium alloy adhesion, eliminating the need for separate coating layers.

Inventive Principle:
Principle #40Composite materials

Data Source

PatentEP4049777B1Base material and cutting tool
Publication Date: 2023.11.15 SUMITOMO ELECTRIC INDUSTRIES LTD
  • EP4049777B1 patent drawingFigure 1
  • EP4049777B1 patent drawingFigure 2
  • EP4049777B1 patent drawingFigure 3

AI summary

A base material according to an aspect of the present disclosure is made of a cemented carbide. The cemented carbide includes a first hard phase and a binder phase. The first hard phase consists of WC particles. The binder phase includes at least one element selected from Co and Ni. The base material includes a body portion, and a surface portion provided on a surface of the body portion. The surface portion has a thickness less than or equal to an average particle size in the first hard phase. A ratio (B/A) of an area proportion (B) of the binder phase in a surface of the surface portion to an area proportion (A) of the binder phase in a cross section of the body portion is not less than 1.2 and not more than 2.0.