Composites

The production of composite materials is a new working area for HARDTOP. The idea is to join two or more materials into a composite material in order to combine their positive characteristics and to create components with enhanced properties

The composites can be connected by material bond or form lock or a combination of both methods. Typical examples are

• particle composites,
• fibre composites,
• multilayer composites,
• impregnated composites and
• structural composites.

HARDTOP has been specialising in particle composites where particles are embedded into another composite component, the so-called matrix. Such metal matrix composites (MMCs) consist of a monolithic metal matrix with a discontinuous hard material reinforcement.

In case of ceramic reinforcement the term “cermet” (short for “ceramic and metal”) is used.

Hard material or ceramic composites in a metal matrix (bonding agent) stand out for their particularly high hardness and wear resistance.

Consequently HARDTOP is actively working on the development of highly wear-resistant composite materials. They add a new product generation to the established range of bimetallic components. First applications are already available for the known HARDTOP range of wear parts.