Superstrength metal composite material and process for making the same

摘要

A metal composite material provides improved strength at all temperatures, in particular at those temperatures greater half the melting point of its matrix. The metal composite material is at least 50 volume percent hard particulate material in a matrix which is significantly more ductile than the hard particulate material. At or above 50 volume percent hard particulate material, each particle is surrounded by a thin film of the matrix material. This thin film resists deformation by converting sliding motion between particles into the rotational motion of the particles about each other. The matrix may be made by infiltrating a powder of the particulate material with a charge of the matrix material, for example, by hot isostatically pressing the matrix material into the powder or by melting a block of matrix material on top of the powder and thus infiltrating the powder by gravitational flow of the melted matrix material into the powder.