Structure and hardness of a hard metal alloy prepared with a WC powder synthesized at low temperature

• Published in: Materials science & engineering. A, Structural materials : properties, microstructure and processing Structural materials : properties, microstructure and processing, 2008-06, Vol.485 (1), p.638-642
• Main Authors: da Costa, F.A., de Medeiros, F.F.P., da Silva, A.G.P., Gomes, U.U., Filgueira, M., de Souza, C.P.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Cemented carbides; Exact sciences and technology; Gas–solid reaction; Hardness; Mechanical properties and methods of testing. Rheology. Fracture mechanics. Tribology; Metals. Metallurgy; Other composite materials with one or more metallic components; Powder metallurgy. Composite materials; Production techniques; Sintering; Technology; WC-Co alloy
• ISSN: 0921-5093; 1873-4936
• DOI: 10.1016/j.msea.2007.08.058

The structure and hardness of a WC-10 wt% Co alloy prepared with an experimental WC powder are compared with those of another alloy of the same composition produced under the same conditions and prepared with a commercial WC powder. The experimental WC powder was synthesized by a gas–solid reaction between APT and methane at low temperature and the commercial WC powder was conventionally produced by a solid–solid reaction between tungsten and carbon black. WC-10 wt% Co alloys with the two powders were prepared under the same conditions of milling and sintering. The structure of the sample prepared with the experimental WC powder is homogeneous and coarse grained. The structure of the sample prepared with the commercial powder is heterogeneous. Furthermore the size and shape of the WC grains are significantly different.