Claims Analysis
Total Claims: 12
Claim 1
Independent Claim
58 words
A tricontinuous composite comprising: a superhard phase material; a hard phase material; and a binder phase material; wherein the three material phases are three-dimensionally interconnected, the superhard phase material forms approximately 10-80 volume percent of an exterior surface of the composite, and each of the three material phases has a grain size which is less than 0.1 microns.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
58 words
A tricontinuous composite comprising: a superhard phase material; a hard phase material; and a binder phase material; wherein the three material phases are three-dimensionally interconnected, the superhard phase material forms approximately 10-80 volume percent of an exterior surface of the composite, and each of the three material phases has a grain size which is less than 0.1 microns.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
59 words
The composite according to claim 1 , wherein the hard phase material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of WC, SiC, B 4 C, Cr 3 C 2 , VC, TaC, NbC, HfC and mixtures thereof, the binder phase material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of Co, Ni, Cr, Fe, Mn, and mixtures thereof.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
39 words
The composite according to claim 2 , wherein the superhard phase material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of diamond, cubic BN, boron carbonitride, mixtures of diamond and cubic BN, and mixtures of diamond and boron carbonitride.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
39 words
The composite according to claim 1 , wherein the superhard phase material comprises a material selected from the group consisting of diamond, cubic BN, boron carbonitride, mixtures of diamond and cubic BN, and mixtures of diamond and boron carbonitride.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
21 words
The composite according to claim 1 , wherein the hard phase material comprises WC and the binder phase material comprises Co.
Claim 7
Dependent Claim
37 words
The composite according to claim 5 , wherein the superhard phase material comprises diamond, the diamond and WC phases forming approximately 50-97 volume percent of the composite and the Co phase forming a balance of the composite.
Claim 8
Dependent Claim
27 words
The composite according to claim 6 , wherein each of the three material phases has a grain size which approximately ranges between 0.005 microns and 0.1 microns.
Claim 9
Dependent Claim
26 words
The composite according to claim 1 , wherein each of the material phases has a grain size which approximately ranges between 0.005 microns and 0.1 microns.
Claim 10
Dependent Claim
18 words
The composite according to claim 1 , wherein the superhard phase material is uniformly distributed throughout the composite.
Claim 11
Dependent Claim
21 words
The composite according to claim 1 , wherein the volume percentage of the superhard phase material changes gradually through the composite.
Claim 12
Dependent Claim
23 words
The composite according to claim 1 , wherein the composite defines one of a machine tool, a drill bit, and a wear part.