National University of Science and Technology “MISIS”, Moscow, Russia

N. I. Polushin, Head of the Scientific and Research Laboratory “Superhard materials”
A. I. Laptev, Leading Researcher, Scientific and Research Laboratory “Superhard materials”, e-mail: laptev@misis.ru
E. M. Baragunov, Student

There were studied the microstructure and mechanical properties of 4 matrices of a complex chemical composition: WC – Co – Fe – Cu, WC – Сo – Fe – Cu – Ni, WC – Cu + cast tungsten carbide (melted and crushed WC), and WC – Cu – Ni + cast tungsten carbide. These matrices are applied at the manufacturing of geological prospecting diamond drill bits. The manufacturing process of matrices' samples was carried out, using the infiltration method, under the conditions of production of diamond drill bits at the temperature of 1150 ^oС, within 15 min. The sides of diamond free bits were obtained, holding their metallographic analysis, X-ray phase analysis and X-ray microanalysis. The hardness, microhardness, density and porosity of the slides were defined. The hardness of matrices was determined by the HRC scale. Using the load of 2 N, the microhardness of matrices was defined on the PMT-3 apparatus. During the working process, it has been established that, using an infiltration method, the dense matrices of the diamond tool with no more than 1 % of open porosity are obtained from the copper and cobalt-based melts of pressings from the particles of WC and particles of WC + cast tungsten carbide. The most hard matrices are the fine-grained WC-based matrices, infiltrated with an alloy of complex structure of Co – Fe – Cu – Ni. The introduction of nickel increases the hardness of the diamond tool matrices at the expense of increasing of durability of the copper-based alloys. The structure of matrices has no influence on the hardness of cast tungsten carbide particles. At the same time, the introduction of cast tungsten carbide particles doesn't lead to the substantial increasing of the general hardness of matrices.

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