US Patent 7384443 Hybrid cemented carbide composites

Embodiments of the present invention include hybrid composite materials comprising a cemented carbide dispersed phase and a cemented carbide continuous phase. The contiguity ratio of the dispersed phase of embodiments may be less than or equal to 0.48. The hybrid composite material may have a hardness of the dispersed phase that is greater than the hardness of the continuous phase. For example, in certain embodiments of the hybrid composite material, the hardness of the dispersed phase is greater than or equal to 88 HRA and less than or equal to 95 HRA and the hardness of the continuous phase is greater than or equal to 78 and less than or equal to 91 HRA.