Prospects for Using Superhard Materials and Wear-Resistant Alloys for Rock-Breaking Tools

摘要

General information on hardfacing materials and steels for rock-breaking tools is presented. Some problems of the cost-effectiveness and resistance of sintered cermet hard alloys are discussed. It is shown that expensive wear-resistant alloys can be replaced by cost-effectively alloyed white iron with enhanced mechanical properties, hardness, wear-resistance, and shock-resistance achieved by treating the melt with nitrogen and increasing the carbon content. Possible ways to improve cermet sintered alloys by heat and chemical-heat treatment are briefly discussed.