Sferamet LLC

Production of spherical granules

Sferamet LLC is established for manufacturing of spherical tungsten carbide (so-called spherical relit). Spherical relit (WC-W2C) is a molten eutectic tungsten carbide with 3.8-4.2 % carbon content. Melting point is approximately 2800 ?C.

Spherical relit is produced by centrifugal spraying of melt out from skull crucible. The rough mix of relit is charged into the crucible from the top. Then the mix is melted in plasma arc; drops of molten relit separate from rotating skull crucible and crystallize in-flight.

Chemical composition of relit, technology and above mentioned equipment is protected by respective patents.

Spherical relit has unique resistance to abrasive impact wear.

Properties of crushed and spherical relit:

	crushed relit	spherical relit
Strength (average destructive load, N)	8,2	20,2
Impact strength (number of cycles before destruction)	30-60	200-400
Average micro hardness HV, kg/mm2	2200-2400	3400-3600
Maximum micro hardness, HV, kg/mm2	2600	4700
Grain size, microns	any	20-1200

Surface hardening

Relit is perfect material to be used for surface hardening of such products as: drilling tool, blast furnace cones, furnace rollers and rolling conveyers, sliding gates of slurry feeding system, cutting tools of road building machinery, etc.

Highest durability of final goods can be achieved by using spherical particles of relit as hardfacing material.

Testing data of relit hardened cutter for drilling bits are shown below: 

Properties of rock roller bit drilling	Type of relit particles used for hardening of drilling bits tooth
	crushed relit	spherical relit	crushed relit	spherical relit
	Stratigraphic horizon
	Eocene		Striae
Total drilling	334	329	139	219
Gross drilling time, hrs	38	38,5	58,5	73,5
Quantity of bits, pcs.	9	7	12	14
Mechanical drilling speed of bit, m/h	8,5	8,5	2,3	3,0
Driving/bit, meters	36	47	11,5	15,6
Bit life, hours	4,2	5,5	4,9	5,2
Driving increase, %	-	30	-	35
Mechanical speed increase, %	-	-	-	30

Set of bits with weld spherical relit were tested at depth from 170 to 1490 meters in section of the Eocene and striae. As it comes from trial, usage of spherical relit allows to increase driving on 30-35 %. 

Protective coatings 

Protective coatings containing spherical relit significantly increase wear resistance of final goods. 

Comparison of coating wear resistance

Composition of coating	Hardness HRC	Wear rate 107 *kg/s
Surfacing by nickel-chrome-boron-silicon alloy	45-48	25
Surfacing by powder quick-cutting tool steel	66	16,6
Surfacing by nickel-chrome-boron-silicon alloy, reinforced by spherical relit additive (70 % of primary alloy, 30 % - relit)	-	4,9

 Wear resistance of relit contained coating is 5 times higher then coating without relit and 3 times higher in comparison with quick-cutting tool steel. 

Relit can be deposited on wearing surfaces as a thin layer of pure relit, for example by supersonic gas dynamic sputtering on shafts, friction bearings, etc. 

Spherical relit can be easily transported for any distance. 

New composite nanostructure materials 

Sferamet LLC is innovative company providing design, production and application of new materials and technologies. In general, we design new composite materials based on application of spherical granules of metals and alloys. 

Usage of certain spherical granules allows to get complex composite materials with fixed chemical composition. 

The titan-aluminium composition withadditional alloying additives can be used for production of blades and discs of jet engines, valves of combustion engines, various parts of airspace equipment. 

The nickel-titan and nickel-titan-copper powders produced by granular technology can be used for production of items with «shape memory». At the same time this method provides higher level of reproducibility for temperature of shape return. 

Granular metallurgy opens wide possibilities for development and production of new composite materials. 

Special equipment design and production 

Sferamet LLC offers vacuum plasma skull furnace (with electromagnetic discharge control and stirring) for production of alloys on the basis of chemically active metals such as Ti, Nb, Zr, Ta. 

The specific feature of this furnace is possibility of using lump material (without preparation of consumable electrode). This furnace is better than vacuum induction furnaces because of its higher energy efficiency and easy-to-work construction.