Structural-Phase State of the Diamond-Matrix Transition Zone in Hard-Alloy Diamond-Containing Composites with Diffusion Metallization of Diamonds during Sintering with Impregnation

Abstract

The conducted study belongs to a field of fundamental and application-oriented issues of interphase interaction and formation of interfacial layers between a filler and matrix during the synthesis of composite systems. The factors determining the strength of the diamonds retention in a hard-alloy matrix of abrasive composites obtained by the hybrid synthesis technology with thermal diffusion metallization of diamond particles and sintering by a scheme of the self-metering impregnation were studied. Chemical composition, morphology and distribution of the reaction products, the nature of the resulting carbon phases in the contact zone between the diamond and matrix were investigated using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray phase analysis, Raman spectroscopy and atomic force microscopy. It was found that the increase of physical and chemical adhesion of diamond with the matrix during the synthesis of composites by the developed technology occurs due to the formation of high nano- and submicronic roughness of the diamond surface, formation of island-type metallized coating, dense filling of gaps by nanoscale layers of metal-infiltrate. Free carbon (graphite) was found in small quantities in the form of micron dimension separate inclusions. The revealed multilevel hierarchy of the high-structured morphological forms of the elements of the transitional layers has provided the solidity and strength of the joint between diamond and matrix.