Pulse power electron-beam treatment of tungsten-free cermet materials

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the effect of impulse irradiation in the titanium carbide (TiC) surface with an Ni-Cr alloy binder on the microstructure of the surface layer and resistance of the material to wear during the cutting of metals. The power of the electronic beam and the quantity of impulses are varied. High rates of heating and cooling during impulses irradiation by the electronic beam permit to control the formation of microstructure and strength of the thin subsurface layer. The cemented carbide TiC/Ni-Cr is now widely applied in the production of the special cutting tool used in various branches of industrial manufacture. Therefore, the increase of its resistance to wear in conditions of cutting is an urgent problem of the modern materials science.