High strength and abrasion resistant body powder blend

1. A composite comprising at least about 15 wt. % ultra coarse tungsten carbide having a particle size from about 44 micrometers to about 63 micrometers, and from 8 wt. % to about 20 wt. % nickel, wherein the composite is infiltrated with a copper containing alloy.

2. The composite of claim 1 , comprising from about 20 wt. % to about 28 wt. % ultra coarse tungsten carbide having a particle size from about 44 micrometers to about 63 micrometers.

3. The composite of claim 1 , comprising from greater than 0 wt. % to about 2 wt. % of a second fraction of ultra coarse tungsten carbide having a particle size greater than about 250 micrometers, or from greater than 0 wt. % to about 8 wt. % of a third fraction of ultra coarse tungsten carbide having a particle size from about 177 micrometers to about 250 micrometers.

4. The composite of claim 2 , further comprising one or more of: (a) from greater than 0 wt. % to about 2 wt. % of a second fraction of ultra coarse tungsten carbide having a particle size greater than about 250 micrometers, (b) from greater than 0 wt. % to about 8 wt. % of a third fraction of ultra coarse tungsten carbide having a particle size from about 177 micrometers to about 250 micrometers, (c) from about 10 wt. % to about 25 wt. % of a fourth fraction of ultra coarse tungsten carbide having a particle size from about 125 micrometers to about 177 micrometers, (d) from about 12 wt. % to about 18 wt. % of a fifth fraction of ultra coarse tungsten carbide having a particle size from about 88 micrometers to about 125 micrometers, (e) from about 15 wt. % to about 22 wt. % of a sixth fraction of tungsten carbide having a particle size from about 63 micrometers to about 88 micrometers, (f) and from about 25 wt. % to about 50 wt. % of a seventh fraction of ultra coarse tungsten carbide having a particle size smaller than about 44 micrometers.

5. The composite of claim 2 , comprising from greater than 0 wt. % to about 2 wt. % of a second fraction of ultra coarse tungsten carbide having a particle size greater than about 250 micrometers, from greater than 0 wt. % to about 8 wt. % of a third fraction of ultra coarse tungsten carbide having a particle size from about 177 micrometers to about 250 micrometers, from about 10 wt. % to about 25 wt. % of a fourth fraction of ultra coarse tungsten carbide having a particle size from about 125 micrometers to about 177 micrometers, from about 12 wt. % to about 18 wt. % of a fifth fraction of ultra coarse tungsten carbide having a particle size from about 88 micrometers to about 125 micrometers, from about 15 wt. % to about 22 wt. % of a sixth fraction of tungsten carbide having a particle size from about 63 micrometers to about 88 micrometers, and from about 25 wt. % to about 50 wt. % of a seventh fraction of ultra coarse tungsten carbide having a particle size smaller than about 44 micrometers.

6. The composite of claim 1 , comprising from about 10 wt. % to about 18 wt. % nickel.

7. The composite of claim 1 , comprising from about 14 wt. % to about 16 wt. % nickel.

8. The composite of claim 1 , comprising no or substantially no cast carbide.

9. The composite of claim 1 , having a tap density of at least about 7.0 g/cm 3 .

10. The composite of claim 1 , wherein the nickel has an average particle size of less than about 44 micrometers.

11. The composite of claim 1 , having at least one of: a transverse rupture strength of at least about 170 KSI, a volume loss under abrasion testing according to ASTM B611-13 of less than about 500 mm 3 , or a combination thereof.

12. A method for preparing the composite of claim 1 , the method comprising contacting ultra coarse tungsten carbide and from about 8 wt. % to about 20 wt. % nickel, infiltrating the contacted ultra coarse tungsten carbide and nickel with a copper containing alloy, wherein at least a portion of the ultra coarse tungsten carbide has a particle size from about 44 micrometers to about 63 micrometers.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein from about 20 wt. % to about 28 wt. % of the composite comprises ultra coarse tungsten carbide having a particle size from about 44 micrometers to about 63 micrometers.

14. The method of claim 12 , wherein from greater than 0 wt. % to about 2 wt. % of the composite comprises ultra coarse tungsten carbide having a particle size greater than about 250 micrometers, or from greater than 0 wt. % to about 8 wt. % of the composite comprises ultra coarse tungsten carbide having a particle size from about 177 micrometers to about 250 micrometers.

15. The method of claim 12 , further comprising contacting one or more of: (a) from greater than 0 wt. % to about 2 wt. % of a second fraction of ultra coarse tungsten carbide having a particle size greater than about 250 micrometers, (b) from greater than 0 wt. % to about 8 wt. % of a third fraction of ultra coarse tungsten carbide having a particle size from about 177 micrometers to about 250 micrometers, (c) from about 10 wt. % to about 25 wt. % of a fourth fraction of ultra coarse tungsten carbide having a particle size from about 125 micrometers to about 177 micrometers, (d) from about 12 wt. % to about 18 wt. % of a fifth fraction of ultra coarse tungsten carbide having a particle size from about 88 micrometers to about 125 micrometers, (e) from about 15 wt. % to about 22 wt. % of a sixth fraction of tungsten carbide having a particle size from about 63 micrometers to about 88 micrometers, (f) and from about 25 wt. % to about 50 wt. % of a seventh fraction of ultra coarse tungsten carbide having a particle size smaller than about 44 micrometers.

16. The method of claim 12 , further comprising contacting from greater than 0 wt. % to about 2 wt. % of a second fraction of ultra coarse tungsten carbide having a particle size greater than about 250 micrometers, from greater than 0 wt. % to about 8 wt. % of a third fraction of ultra coarse tungsten carbide having a particle size from about 177 micrometers to about 250 micrometers, from about 10 wt. % to about 25 wt. % of a fourth fraction of ultra coarse tungsten carbide having a particle size from about 125 micrometers to about 177 micrometers, from about 12 wt. % to about 18 wt. % of a fifth fraction of ultra coarse tungsten carbide having a particle size from about 88 micrometers to about 125 micrometers, from about 15 wt. % to about 22 wt. % of a sixth fraction of tungsten carbide having a particle size from about 63 micrometers to about 88 micrometers, and from about 25 wt. % to about 50 wt. % of a seventh fraction of ultra coarse tungsten carbide having a particle size smaller than about 44 micrometers.

17. The method of claim 15 , wherein nickel comprises from about 10 wt. % to about 18 wt. % of the composite.

18. The method of claim 15 , wherein nickel comprises from about 14 wt. % to about 16 wt. % of the composite.

19. A cutting tool comprising the infiltrated composition of claim 1 .

20. The cutting tool of claim 19 , wherein the cutting tool comprises a drill bit or a portion thereof.

21. The composite of claim 1 , having a substantially uniform composition.

22. The composite of claim 1 , wherein the composite does not have a core/shell structure.