The development of high-strength superductile hardmetals and tools based on these materials under ultrahigh isostatic pressure

This work was designed to study compressibility behavior of nanopowders of various materials under ultrahigh cold isostatic pressing (CIP) in pure hydrostatic conditions. The results indicate that creation of hardmetals for large-size tools by high-pressure consolidation of nanoparticles is not a very promising approach. An alternative technique for producing hardmetals with the disperse substructure of carbide grains at ultrahigh pressure (CIP) in pure hydrostatic conditions has been developed. The new hardmetals thus obtained have dual properties of high strength and unique superductility under compression. The large-size tools based on these alloys have commercially demonstrated a record-breaking impact resistance an order of magnitude higher than that of the currently available standard hard-alloy tools.