Durable ceramic composites with superhard particles for wear-resistant cutting tools - DURACER

Project summary

The aim of the DURACER project is to utilize the remarkable beneficial properties of cubic boron nitride (cBN) to obtain a new generation of Spark Plasma Sintered (SPS) tool materials and to use these materials to create high-performance cutting tools. The modification of alumina-based matrix with cBN particles will improve hardness, fracture toughness and wear resistance of DURACER composites. Comprehensive tribological studies and industrial machining tests will demonstrate the performance of the material in the industrially relevant environment. The cutting tools made of DURACER composites could substitute a large portion of tools made of sintered carbides (because of better performance at elevated temperatures), ceramics (because of higher hardness and fracture toughness) and superhard materials (because of better wear resistance-to-cost ratio). Potential consumers of the project results are mainly manufacturers of tools and tools users.