The green body of WC-Co cemented carbides containing polymeric binders such as paraffin, polyethylene glycol (PEG), and polyvinyl acetate (PVA) are prepared. The green density of the WC-Co cemented carbides increases with the addition of binders, with the exception of PVA, which is known to be a polar polymeric substance. The green strength of the WC-Co cemented carbides improves with the addition of paraffin and a mixture of PEG400 and PEG4000. In contrast, the green strength of the WC-Co does not increase when PEG400 and PEG4000 is added individually. The compressive strength of the green body increases to 14 MPa, and the machinability of the green body improves when more than 4–6 wt% paraffin and a mixture of PEG400 and PEG4000 is used. Simultaneously, the sintered density of WC-Co is as high as 99% relative density, similar to a low binder addition of 1–2 wt%.

The knowledge of grain growth of carbide particles is very important for manufacturing micrograined cemented carbides. In the present study, continuous and discontinuous grain growth in WC-Co and WC-VC-Co cemented carbides is investigated using the Monte Carlo computer simulation technique. The Ostwald ripening process (solution/re-precipitation) and the grain boundary migration process are assumed in the simulation as the grain growth mechanism. The effects of liquid phase fraction, grain boundary energy and implanted coarse grain are examined. At higher liquid phase content, mass transfer via solid/liquid interfaces plays a major role in grain growth. Growth rate of the implanted grain was higher than that of the matrix grains through solution/re-precipitation and coalescence with neighboring grains. The results of these simulations qualitatively agree with experimental ones and suggest that distribution of liquid phase and carbide particle/carbide grain boundary energy as well as contamination by coarse grain are important factors controlling discontinuous grain growth in WC-Co and WC-VC-Co cemented carbides. The contamination by coarse grains must by avoided in the manufacturing process of fine grain cemented carbides, especially with low Co.

The microstructure and hardness of (W,Ti)C cemented carbides with a different metallic binder composition of Ni and Co fabricated by powder technology were investigated. The densifications of the prepared materials were accomplished by using vacuum sintering at . Nearly full dense (W,Ti)C cemented carbides were obtained with a relative density of up to 99.7% with 30 wt.% Co and 99.9% with 30 wt.% Ni as a metallic binder. The average grain size of the (W,Ti)C-Co and the (W,Ti)C-Ni was decreased by increasing the metallic binder content. The hardness of the dense (W,Ti)C-15 wt%Co and (W,Ti)C-15 wt%Ni, was greater than that of the other related cemented carbides; in addition, the cobalt-based cemented carbides had greater hardness values than the nickel-based cemented carbides.

To test the correlation between grain shape and growth behavior we prepared WC-TiC-Co samples with rounded (Ti, W)C grains and faceted WC grains. The growth of rounded (Ti, W)C grains was normal. In contrast, the growth of faceted WC grains was abnormal or suppressed depending on the initial size of WC particles. These observations were explained using growth theories of crystals in a liquid and were also confirmed by a simulation using their growth equations. The present results thus demonstrate that the growth behavior of carbide grains in a liquid is governed only by their shape, irrespective of the presence of another phase.

The present study describes the wear and mechanical behaviour of carbide composites in cyclic loading applications (blanking of sheet metal). Adhesive wear as well as fatigue endurance were tested, complemented by XRD studies. It was found that the blanking performance of a carbide composite is controlled by its resistance to adhesion wear and fatigue sensitivity. XRD studies revealed that fatigue damage is preceded by plastic strain in both phases of the composites

The aim of present work is to link geometrical parameter of maximum area of structural defect (proposed by Y. Murakami, 1983) with surface fatigue mechanisms. Determined relations allow making predictions of surface fatigue properties of cemented carbides (WC-Co hardmetal - H15 - 85wt% WC and 15wt %Co, TiC-based cermets - T60/8 - 60wt %TiC and Fe/8wt% Ni and T70/14 - 70wt %TiC and Fe/14wt% Ni) in conditions of rolling contact and impact cycling loading. Pores considered being equivalent to small defects. Three comparative defects conditions are distinguished: surface pore, just below free surface and interior pores. The Vickers hardness of binder (as main responsible for the fracture mechanism of hardmetal and cermets) assumed to be the basis of such assumption. The estimate of this prediction has been done by analyzing the pore sizes using the statistics of extremes. The lower bound of fatigue properties can be correctly predicted by considering the maximum occurring pore size.

The plastic deformation behavior of cemented carbides is related to the WC grain boundary strength. Ab initio calculations predict that Co and Mn segregate to WC/WC grain boundaries. To experimentally study the effect of Mn, a WC-Co-Mn material was manufactured and compared to a WC-Co material. The microstructure was studied using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), including electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD). Special attention was paid to the WC grain size and the frequency of special low-energy grain boundaries. Mn was found to have negligible effect on both the WC grain growth and the fraction of WC/WC boundaries in the as-sintered material.

During sintering of cemented carbides abnormal grain growth is often observed but cannot be understood from the classical LSW-theory. A model based on 2-D nucleation of new crystalline layers and a grain-size distribution function is formulated and the equations are solved numerically. Experimental studies and computer simulations show that the initial grain size distribution has a strong effect on the grain growth behavior. For example, a fine-grained powder can grow past a coarser powder.

The driving forces and the probable processes of WC-Co grain growth are reanalysed from recent data of interface energy and microstructure. Grain growth is driven by the disappearing of the high energy WC/WC and WC/Co interfaces with habit planes different from {0001}, and facets and by the area decrease of the WC/WC and WC/Co interfaces with {0001} and habit planes. Grain growth mainly results of dissolution-precipitation. Abnormal grains are likely formed by defects assisted nucleation.

WC-Co 계의 입성장 억제는 현재 초경합금 분야에서 공학적으로 가장 중요한 이슈들 중의 하나이다 VC를 비롯한 입방정 탄화물이나 등의 여러 가지 탄화 물이 혼합되어 입성장 억제에 이용되는데 입성장 억제의 효과는 대략적으로 용해되는 탄화물의 양에 의존하고 있는 것으로 추정된다. 보다 효율적으로 입성장 억제를 실현하려면 입성장 기구를 명확히 할 필요가 있다. 최 등[1]은 VC가 WC 입자 표면 에서의 edge energy를 증가시켜서 2차원 핵생성의

전통적으로 초경합금은 무라까미 용액에서 에칭하거나 묽은 염산에 넣고 끓이는 방법에 의해 그 밋구조를 관찰하였다. 그러나 carbide 입자가 suvmicron 크기인 초경합금에서는 전통적인 에칭 방법으 에칭 후에도 입자/기지상, 입자/입자 입계를 동시에 구분시킬 수 있는 SEM 사진을 얻을 수 없다. 본 연구에서는 submicron 크기 초경합금의 고배율 SEM 사진을 얻을 수있는 90H2O2 - 10HNO3 (vol%)의 새로운 에칭 용액을 개발하였다