Cermet Composite Bonding via Additive Intermediate Layer Control
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Solution Overview
Problem
Existing cermet composite materials face issues with bond strength between the cermet and non-cermet parts, particularly at high loads, due to the presence of harmful phases like M6C carbide and free carbon, which can cause cracking, and high-temperature heat treatment is often required to address these issues but is not always feasible.
Innovation Solution
A cermet composite material is developed with a cermet part containing hard carbides dispersed in a metallic phase and a non-cermet part made of a Ni-based alloy, where the cermet part is formed on the non-cermet part using additive manufacturing, creating an intermediate layer with a high gamma phase fraction and reduced M6C carbide and free carbon content, thereby improving bond strength without the need for high-temperature heat treatment.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If sintering is used to form a metallurgical bond between cemented carbide and non-cermet materials, then a composite material can be produced, but the bond strength is insufficient at high loads due to inadequate mixing region formation
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the traditional sintering process with additive manufacturing (laser melting) to form the intermediate layer. The laser melting process creates a deeper and more uniform mixing region between cermet and non-cermet components, achieving superior bond strength and cracking resistance compared to conventional sintering methods.
2Reliability
If heat treatment at 1000°C to 1300°C is applied to eliminate M6C carbide and free carbon, then the intermediate layer quality improves, but the process becomes complex and time-consuming
Solution Approach 1:
The patent extracts and eliminates the heat treatment step from the manufacturing process. By optimizing the additive manufacturing parameters (laser power, scanning speed, hatching distance), the process directly produces an intermediate layer with minimal M6C carbide and free carbon, achieving high quality without requiring subsequent heat treatment at 1000°C to 1300°C.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent performs the elimination of harmful phases (M6C carbide and free carbon) during the additive manufacturing process itself, rather than as a subsequent heat treatment step. The laser melting process with optimized parameters preliminarily achieves the desired microstructure, preventing the formation of harmful phases before they can problematic accumulate.
3Strength
If the intermediate layer contains M6C carbide and free carbon to achieve component mixing, then bonding is formed, but cracking occurs at the interface under high load
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the processing parameters of additive manufacturing (laser power, scanning speed, layer thickness, hatching distance) to control the thermal history and cooling rate during intermediate layer formation. This optimization reduces the formation of M6C carbide and free carbon while maintaining adequate bonding, thereby eliminating cracking susceptibility under high load.
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
The approach enhances the bond strength between the cermet and non-cermet parts, reducing the likelihood of cracking and eliminating the need for high-temperature processing, resulting in a more robust and efficient composite material suitable for high-stress applications.
Implementation Method 1
the cermet part being formed on the non-cermet part by additive manufacturing
Implementation Method 2
a step of preheating for preheating the non-cermet part to 350° C. to 800° C.
Data Source
AI summary
The invention provides a cermet composite material that can improve a bond strength between a cermet part and a non-cermet part without heat treatment at high temperature. The cermet composite material according to the invention comprises a cermet part including hard carbides dispersed in a metallic phase and a non-cermet part consisting of a Ni-based alloy including 50% by mass or more of Ni with the cermet part being formed on the non-cermet part by additive manufacturing, wherein the cermet composite material comprises an intermediate layer including both components of the cermet part and components of the non-cermet part between the cermet part and the non-cermet part, and the non-cermet part consists of the Ni-based alloy including 3.0% by mass to 15.0% by mass of Ti or the Ni-based alloy including 0.5% by mass to less than 3.0% by mass of Ti and 4% by mass to 15% by mass of Nb and Ta in total.