Ultrafine Crystalline Hardmetalls

摘要

The present paper, based on a work recently presented at the Plansee 2005 conference, elaborates on some aspects on recent development in the field of manufacturing as well as on properties and applications of sub-micron and near nano-grainsized hardmetals. The production of sub-micron and near nano-grainsized hardmetals has been the fastest growing segment of the industry over the last ten years. This growth has been driven by developments in user industries such as electronics, precision engineering, micro-machining, and metal forming, which exploit the exceptional properties of these alloys. The influences on various properties are discussed, as are the underlying metallurgical and processing factors that enable sub-micron hardmetals to be manufactured successfully on such a large scale.