Sintered carbides tool material - contg ruthenium and/or osmium for increased tool life

摘要

Sintered alloy comprising carbides in a metal matrix in which the part of the alloy whose surfaces are subject to wear contains cobalt and >=1 of ruthenium and/or osmium as the bonding agent. In an example a 83% WC, 12% TiC and 5% Co contg. alloy was electroplated with ruthenium in a bath contg. (NH4)3 Ru2NCl8(H2O)2 and ammonium sulphamate at a pH of 1.5. The alloy was plated with gold to prevent corrosion of the cobalt by the electrolytic bath. Different thickness of ruthenium were obtained. After heating at 1325 degrees C for 2 hrs. the alloys with a plate thickness of 6-10 microns had nine times increased tool life.