Microstructure and mechanical properties of WC-Co, WC-Co-Cr3C2and WC-Co-TaC cermets fabricated by spark plasma sintering

作者：P SIWAK; D GARBIEC

来源：Transactions of Nonferrous Metals Society of China (English Edition), 2016, 26(10).

DOI：10.1016/S1003-6326(16)64390-X

• spark plasma sintering
• cermet
• chromium carbide
• tantalum carbide
• mechanical properties

Spark plasma sintering was successfully used to produce WC?Co cermets with the addition of Cr3C2and TaC grain growth inhibitors. The spark plasma sintered compacts were investigated by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis, density measurements, hardness tests, fracture toughness tests and elastic modulus tests. The results were comparedwithan inhibitor-free WC?Co cermet consolidated under the same process parameters. By using Cr3C2and TaC additives, it is possible to improve the hardness and fracture toughness of WC?Co cermets, but Cr3C2has better grain growth inhibition propertythan that of TaC. The best combination of hardness (HV30(2105±38)) and fracture toughness ((8.3±0.2)MPa·m1/2) was obtained by the WC?5Co?2Cr3C2 cermet.