초록 ▼

In one aspect, the invention comprises a method for producing tools and machine components having superhard crystalline-ceramic work surfaces. Broadly, the method comprises two steps: A tool or machine component having a ceramic near-surface region is mounted in ion-implantation apparatus. The regio

In one aspect, the invention comprises a method for producing tools and machine components having superhard crystalline-ceramic work surfaces. Broadly, the method comprises two steps: A tool or machine component having a ceramic near-surface region is mounted in ion-implantation apparatus. The region then is implanted with metal ions to form, in the region, a metastable alloy of the ions and said ceramic. The region containing the alloy is characterized by a significant increase in hardness properties, such as microhardness, fracture-toughness, and/or scratch-resistance. The resulting improved article has good thermal stability at temperatures characteristic of typical tool and machine-component uses. The method is relatively simple and reproducible.

대표청구항 ▼

A method for increasing the hardness of a near-surface region of an article, comprising: mounting in an ion-implantation system an article having a near-surface region of a refractory material selected from the group consisting of ceramic and diamond, producing an increase in the hardness of said re

A method for increasing the hardness of a near-surface region of an article, comprising: mounting in an ion-implantation system an article having a near-surface region of a refractory material selected from the group consisting of ceramic and diamond, producing an increase in the hardness of said region by ion-implanting the same with metal ions to effect formation of a metastable alloy in which the implanted ions are distributed between substitutional and interstitial lattice sites, and terminating said ion-implanting when the implanted-ion fluence reaches a value corresponding to a preselected increased hardness value.