KEEN®
Alloyed powder
Keen® was developed as a substitute for cobalt which was subject to erratic price fluctuations. It contributes to reduction and stabilization of the material cost. It also helps significantly to reduce the amount of scattered cobalt, meeting the requirement for the prevention of workers’ health impairment provided by the Industrial Safety and Health Act. It also has good compatibility with a variety of typical metal powders used for diamond tools, making it easy to design the optimum bond for each application. In addition, because of its moderate ductility in physical properties, it can be widely applied to general-purpose building applications as well as workpieces that require wear resistance. Special catalyst is added to Keen®, preventing oxidation under humid environment.
Following the 10 years success story of NEXT®, Eurotungstene/Umicore has developed, through an ongoing process of innovation, a new pre-alloyed range of powders: Keen®. It aims at replacing cobalt bonds. Specially designed for abrasive and severe materials, Keen® is a new technical and economical alternative to traditional binders for the Diamond Tool industry.
Manufacturer introduction
Based in Brussels, Belgium, Umicore (formerly Eurotungstene) is a global manufacturer in the production, conversion, and recycling recovery of catalysts and nonferrous metals. The organization of several mining and smelting companies, now known as Umicore, has a history of more than 200 years since its predecessor was founded in 1805.
Umicore offers a wide variety of cobalt and alloy powders, primarily for diamond tools and superalloys, for use in stone cutters, construction, metal cutting tools, and consumable parts. Product applications are diverse and include one of the essential raw materials for the growing secondary battery industry, rubber tire manufacturing, pigments for the ceramic industry, catalysts for paint drying and resin production, and surface treatments.
Main applications
KEEN® for all construction applications
Tools・・・Saw blade, Wire saw, Drilling, Grinding, Polishing
Materials・・・Cured concrete, Asphalt, Fresh concrete, Pre-stressed concrete, Very abrasive natural stones
Two grades of alloy powder called Keen® 10 and Keen® 20 were developed as replacements for the current cobalt base bond.These are moderately ductile in physical properties and are resistant to oxidization.
KEEN® Grade
| Grade | Fisher grain size （μm） | Theoretical density （g/c㎡） | Scott density （g/c㎡） | Tap density （g/c㎡） | Minimum sintering temperature | Recommended sintering temperature |
| KEEN®10 | 2.85 | 8.25 | 1.8 | 3.0 | 800℃ | 850℃ （350kg/c㎡） |
| KEEN®20 | 3.0 | 8.47 | 1.7 | 3.0 | 925℃ | 925℃ （400kg/c㎡） |
KEEN® Premixed Grades
| Grade | Theoretical density （g/c㎡） | Scott density （g/c㎡） | Tap density （g/c㎡） | Minimum sintering temperature | Recommended sintering temperature |
| KX1180 | 9.12 | 2.5 | 3.5 | 825℃ | 850℃ |
| KX1290 | 8.31 | 1.9 | 3.0 | 750℃ | 800℃ |
| KX2250 | 8.63 | 1.3 | 2.3 | – | 925℃ |
| KX2920 | 8.91 | 1.5 | 3.0 | 950℃ | – |
Packing
We supply products on a metal drum with a polyethylene inner bag. For drum sizes, please contact us.
