FLUIDIZED BED PROCESSING OF CO/WC NANOCOMPOSITE POWDERS

A NEW PROCESS HAS BEEN DEVISED FOR THE SYNTHESIS OF CO/WC NANOCOMPOSITES POWDERS, STARTING FROM DESIGNED MOLECULAR PRECURSORS. THE PROCESS DIFFERS FROM CONVENTIONAL POWDER METALLURGY METHODS IN THAT IT IS A DIRECT ROUTE FOR MAKING THE MATERIALS WHICH AVOIDS MECHANICAL MILLING AND HANDLING OF POWDERS. THIS PROPOSAL ADDRESSES THE CHALLENGING PROBLEM OF SCALING UP THE PROCESS TO PRODUCE LARGER QUANTITIES OF POWDERED MATERIAL FOR EVALUATION AND TESTING. A FLUIDIZED BED REACTOR OF SPECIAL DESIGN WILL BE USED FOR SCALING UP THE PROCESS. THE ADVANTAGES ARE UNIFORMITY OF TEMPERATURE AND IMPROVED GAS-SOLID CONTACTING, AND THE POTENTIAL FOR LOW COST COMMERCIAL POWDER PRODUCTION. SUCH POWDERS CAN BE CONSOLIDATED INTO USABLE STRUCTURAL FORMS BY CONVENTIONAL PLASMA SPRAYING, LASERGLAZING AND COLD COMPACTION/SINTERING. THE CONSOLIDATED PRODUCTS WILL FIND GREAT UTILITY IN CUTTING AND WEAR APPLICATIONS.