Omsk State Technical University has come up with a way to improve the properties of tungsten-free hard alloys for the manufacture of metal-cutting inserts and drill bit crowns that experience heavy loads during operation. Scientists have developed an ion irradiation technique that increases the wear resistance of alloys during friction by almost three times.
Metal irradiation is currently carried out in scientific laboratories, although some enterprises are already using such installations. For example, in the semiconductor industry, irradiation technology has been introduced into mass production. The improvement of tungsten-free hard alloys is of particular interest to mechanical engineering and the mining industry, where drilling tools are used. I can assume that we are talking about billions of rubles saved, since there are a dozen such enterprises in Omsk alone.
Under the influence of a powerful ion beam (E ~ 250 keV) of nanosecond duration, the surface of the alloy melts and then instantly crystallizes. New compounds are formed on the surface of the alloy, and its structure changes, which leads to an increase in hardness. In addition, ion irradiation leads to the formation of additional carbide compounds.
The scientists also note that the impact of the pulsed ion beam reduced the concentration of brittle intermetallic phases with an excessive nickel content. The resulting alloy with improved qualities is almost three times cheaper than tungsten, but is not inferior to it in quality.
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