A Novel Method for Direct Synthesis of WC-Co Nanocomposite Powder

In this study, a novel method, termed dielectric-barrier-discharge-plasma (DBDP) assisted ball milling and low-temperature carburization, was used to synthesize WC-Co nanocomposite powder. X-ray diffraction, scanning/transmission electron microscopy, and differential scanning calorimetry were used to characterize the microstructure of powders. Starting from W, Co, and graphite powder mixtures, the DBDP-milled W-C-10Co powder exhibited a flakelike morphology with very fine lamellar structure. The WC-Co composite powder was synthesized at 1273 K (1000 °C), which is much lower than the requisite temperature for the conventional carburizing method. The obtained WC-Co composite powder had a nanocomposite microstructure in which fine WC particles were bounded by homogenously distributed Co phase, and the WC crystals had a slablike morphology with a planar size of about 200 nm and <100-nm thickness. The combinational effect of the milling and the plasma in the DBDP milling caused a unique fine flakelike morphology and high-density interfaces in the W-C-10Co powder mixture, which is responsible for the reduced carburization temperature and the nanocomposite structure of WC-Co powder.     

Rapid graphitization of a pulsed laser remelted ductile cast iron during multipass overlap melting

As-cast ductile cast iron with an as-machined shiny metal surface was remelted with a high-power (1 kW) pulsed Nd:YAG laser using both single- and multipass overlap melt tracks. Changes in the microstructure of the underlying laser melted track caused by the transient overlap heating during multipass overlap remelting process were studied. The rapidly solidified metastable ledeburite structure of the underlying laser melted track was found to be rapidly graphitized during overlap remelting. The graphitized zone consists of a fully graphitized zone containing extremely fine graphite nodules and a partially graphitized zone containing extremely fine graphite nodules and undissolved cementite. The overlap ratios of the melt tracks were shown to have no noticeable influence on either the graphitized microstructure and the size of the graphitization zones. This newly observed rapid graphitization phenomenon is preliminarily discussed in terms of the microstructural characteristics of the rapidly solidified ductile iron and the unique heating behavior of pulsed laser beam to material.     

The effect of microstructure of ferritic spheroidal graphite cast irons on intergranular fracture at intermediate temperatures

The effect of microstructure, by varying cooling rate, and the independent influence of ferrite grain size, by varying annealing temperature, on intermediate temperature embrittlement of ferritic spheroidal graphite cast irons have been investigated. The intermediate temperature embrittlement of ferritic spheroidal graphite cast irons depends on the triaxial stress field around the graphite nodules and also depends on ferrite grain size. When the carbon content of ferritic spheroidal graphite cast irons is constant, the hydrostatic tensile stress does not change by varying microstructure. Therefore, intergranular fracture will exist when the ratio of the hydrostatic tensile stress to equivalent stress is larger than one (σ _m /σ _eq 1). It can still be eliminated by decreasing the ferrite grain size.     

Microstructure and Properties of Graphitized Free-Cutting Steel

This article describes the metallographic studies and the tensile tests of quenched and high-temperature tempered samples of graphitized free-cutting steel and the experience of machining graphitized samples. The experimental results have shown that the microstructure of the graphitized steel is comprised mainly of ferrite and graphite, and graphite particles are distributed both along grain boundaries and inside them. The morphology of graphite is presented by a spherical shape (average diameter of ~10 μm). The ratio of the yield stress to the ultimate strength is 0.59, and the machinability coefficient is k_T = 5.4241. The microstructure of steel samples after quenching and high-temperature tempering is comprised mainly of secondary sorbite. In this case, the ratio of the yield stress to the ultimate strength is 0.82.     

Influence of Interfacial Diffusion on Mechanical Property of Vacuum Fusion Sinter （VFS） WC-Co Composite Coating

The WC-Co composite coatings bonded tightly to steel substrate have been made by vacuum fusion sinter （VFS）. The concentration distribution of some components were measured by the electron probe, and the microstructure and morphology of VFS coatings were observed and analyzed by SEM, X-ray diffractometer and microhardness tester. Diffusion coefficient of every element was calculated by using the experimental results. The influence of the interracial diffusion on the microstructure, Vickers hardness and interracial bond strength of the VFS coatings was studied in detail. The experimental results show that there is a metallurgical bond area between the VFS WC-Co coatings and the steel substrate. The VFS coatings are characterized by the gradient hardness of the interface and the high bond strength to the steel substate, both of which are beneficial to the improvement of the wear resistance and corrosion resistance.     

Study on the Microstructure and Liquid Phase Formation in a Semisolid Gray Cast Iron

The development of high-quality semisolid raw materials requires an understanding of the phase transformations that occur as the material is heated up to the semisolid state, i.e., its melting behavior. The microstructure of the material plays a very important role during semisolid processing as it determines the flow behavior of the material when it is formed, making a thorough understanding of the microstructural evolution essential. In this study, the phase transformations and microstructural evolution in Fe2.5C1.5Si gray cast iron specially designed for thixoforming processes as it was heated to the semisolid state were observed using in situ high-temperature confocal laser scanning microscopy. At room temperature, the alloy has a matrix of pearlite and ferrite with fine interdendritic type D flake graphite. During heating, the main transformations observed were graphite precipitation inside the grains and at the austenite grain boundaries; graphite flakes and graphite precipitates growing and becoming coarser with the increasing temperature; and the beginning of melting at around 1413 K to 1423 K (1140 °C to 1150 °C). Melting begins with the eutectic phase (i.e., the carbon-rich phase) and continues with the primary phase (primary austenite), which is consumed as the temperature increases. Melting of the eutectic phase composed by coarsened interdendritic graphite flakes produced a semi-continuous liquid network homogeneously surrounding and wetting the dendrites of the solid phase, causing grains to detach from each other and producing the intended solid globules immersed in liquid.     

放电等离子烧结制备超细晶WC-3Co硬质合金的组织和性能

采用高能球磨制备纳米WC-3Co粉末,再通过放电等离子烧结(spark plasma sintering,SPS)制备超细晶WC-3Co硬质合金。研究SPS工艺参数对合金致密度、显微组织和力学性能的影响,并对SPS和热压工艺(hotpressing,HP)进行对比。结果表明:SPS可实现WC-3Co粉末的低温快速致密化。升高温度或提高压力都使得合金的致密度提高,同时导致WC晶粒长大。SPS较HP升温速率快且烧结时间更短,合金组织更加均匀,在1 300℃保温5 min、烧结压力为40 MPa的条件下所制备的合金具有最佳综合性能,其平均晶粒度为0.32μm,相对密度、硬度、抗弯强度、断裂韧性分别为99.3%、2257 HV30、1 906 MPa、10.36 MPa.m1/2。而在1 450℃、压力为50 MPa、保压5 min条件下,热压合金的致密度、硬度和断裂韧性分别为99.6%、2 264 HV30和11.01 MPa.m1/2,但抗弯强度只有1 301 MPa,平均晶粒度为0.47μm。     

微波烧结粗晶低钴YG硬质合金存在的脱碳问题及其改进

采用常规微波烧结法制备WC-Co硬质合金时,表层区域出现严重的脱碳现象,导致表层和中心区域的组织显著不同,即产生核壳结构,对合金的力学性能造成不利影响。本文作者以WC粉和Co粉为原料粉末,采用微波烧结法制备88%WC-12%Co(YG12)和94%WC-6%Co(YG6)硬质合金,在混料时添加炭黑,避免合金中脱碳相的生成。检验表明:当炭黑添加量(质量分数)接近0.2%时,YG12和YG6的抗弯强度(TRS)分别达到3 109和2 642 MPa;硬度(HRA)分别为88.7和89.8。此时,合金表面和中心区域具有一致的显微组织结构,没有发现脱碳相η(W3Co3C)。但当炭黑添加量超过0.2%时,大量析出的石墨相对合金的力学性能,尤其对硬度产生不利影响,当炭黑添加量为0.4%时,YG12和YG6的抗弯强度分别只有2 465 MPa和2 213 MPa。     

关于WC-Co硬质合金的强度和结构问题(Ⅱ)

综述了WC-Co硬质合金强度和结构方面的研究结果，阐明WC-Co硬质合金具有颗粒型复合强化材料的本质特征。据此，对WC-Co硬质合金微观结构及其制造工艺技术的一些问题进行了探讨。     

关于WC-Co硬质合金的强度和结构问题(Ⅰ)

综述了WC—Co硬质合金强度和结构方面的研究结果，阐明WC—Co硬质合金具有颗粒型复合强化材料的本质特征。据此，对WC—Co硬质合金微观结构及其制造工艺技术的一些问题进行了探讨。     

关于WC-Co硬质合金的强度和结构问题(Ⅲ)

综述了WC-Co硬质合金强度和结构方面的研究结果，阐明WC-Co硬质合金具有颗粒型复合强化材料的本质特征。据此，对WC-Co硬质合金微观结构及其制造工艺技术的一些问题进行了探讨。     

微波烧结制备WC-8Co硬质合金过程中的脱碳行为研究

碳平衡在硬质合金的制备过程中具有非常重要的意义,脱碳和渗碳都会对合金的显微组织和力学性能造成不良影响。主要研究了在微波烧结条件下,合金脱碳因素(气氛、氧含量、烧结工艺等)对WC-Co硬质合金显微组织的影响。结果表明:氮气和氢气会造成合金表层脱碳,随着烧结温度的提高和保温时间的增加脱碳层变厚;压坯中较高的氧含量会使合金表层形成多达五层的脱碳组织;最后讨论了在微波加热条件下WC-Co合金脱碳的动力学和热力学机制。     

Visualization of the hydrogen desorption process from ferrite,pearlite, and graphite by secondary ion mass spectrometry

The distribution and desorption processes of hydrogen and deuterium have been visualized by secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). The present article deals with four principal points: (1) visualizing the hydrogen distribution, (2) visualizing the hydrogen desorption process from each metallurgical microstructure under various holding times at 25 °C, (3) visualizing the hydrogen desorption process during heating, and (4) determining the correspondence between desorption profiles and desorption sites. A spheroidal graphite cast iron specimen was prepared for visualizing hydrogen, since it consists of basic microstructures of steels such as ferrite and pearlite. Hydrogen and deuterium were occluded into the cast iron. The amount of hydrogen and the existing states of hydrogen in the cast iron were analyzed by thermal desorption spectrometry (TDS). The TDS analyses show that the hydrogen desorption has two peaks, namely, the low- and high-temperature peaks corresponding to trap activation energies of 21.6 and 105.8 kJ/mol, respectively. The SIMS analyses of the specimen cooled after heating to 100 °C, 200 °C, and 300 °C reveal that the hydrogen desorbs from the ferrite after heating to 100 °C, from the pearlite and the interfaces between the ferrite and the graphite after heating to 200 °C, and from the pearlite after heating to 300 °C. The graphite remains, trapping hydrogen after heating to 300 °C. On the basis of TDS and SIMS results, the relationship between the desorption profile and desorption sites was identified; that is, the low-temperature peak corresponds to ferrite, pearlite, and graphite/ferrite interfaces, while the high-temperature peak corresponds to graphite.     

超细WC-Co复合粉超音速热喷涂修复煤磨机齿轮轴

利用超音速热喷涂(HVOF)技术,试用自制原位反应合成的WC-Co复合粉来修复大型煤磨机齿轮轴,并对热喷涂层的显微结构、物相组成和力学性能进行了表征.实验表明,超细WC-Co复合粉经超音速热喷涂制备的涂层可与齿轮轴基体结合牢固,显微组织致密,且经高温过程形成脱碳相的含量较低,表面硬度和耐磨性显著提高,能有效修复煤磨机齿轮轴的过量磨损,延长设备服役期,经济效益显著.     

Influence of the microstructure on corrosion induced damage of WC-Co cemented carbides

ABSTRACT

The main goal of the present work is to study the influence of the microstructure on the corrosion behavior of cemented carbides WC-Co in two corrosive media. Corrosion kinetics were determined by immersion tests while the electrochemical evolution of the Surface was analyzed using impedance testing. Damage tolerance to corrosion was evaluated by assessing fracture strength on specimens previously subjected to corrosion. Results pointed out that for both grades the corrosion rate was higher in seawater, being more significant for the grade with a medium grain size. The corrosion phenomenon that took place in both media was caused by the oxidation reaction of cobalt. In seawater, the polarization resistance decreased for both grades whereas in mine water increased, due to the formation of a layer of corrosion products, which slowed down the cobalt dissolution process in Surface. In both media, a greater strength loss of the ultrafine grades was evidenced.     

氧化钽喷涂及涂层熔炼实验

液态铈非常活泼,与很多涂层都发生反应。将钽坩埚表面氧化后熔炼铈已有比较满意的结果,但在石墨坩埚表面喷涂Ta2O5涂层的研究报道却很少。本文总结了石墨坩埚表面等离子及火焰喷涂Ta2O5涂层工艺。在大气中通过热震试验考核了氧化钽涂层相稳定性,在真空感应加热环境下对火焰喷涂氧化钽涂层进行了进一步的热震稳定性考核,采用SEM分析了涂层表面微观形貌,同时采用XRD技术分析了加热前后氧化钽涂层的组成变化,分析表明,火焰喷涂能够制备单一的Ta2O5涂层。石墨坩埚表面Ta2O5涂层熔炼实验表明,液态铈不侵蚀Ta2O5涂层。     

The Effect of Carbon on the Transition from Graphite to Cementite Eutectic in Cast Iron

In this work, an analytical solution is proposed to explain the influence of carbon on the transition from graphite to cementite eutectic in cast iron. The outcome from this work indicates that this transition can be related to (a) the graphite nucleation potential (directly characterized by the cell count, N and indirectly by the nucleation coefficients N _s and b), (b) the eutectic graphite growth rate coefficient, μ, (c) the temperature range, ?T _sc = T _s  ? T _c (where T _s and T _c are the equilibrium temperature for graphite eutectic and the formation temperature for cementite eutectic, respectively), and (d) the liquid volume fraction, f, after pre-eutectic austenite solidification. In addition, the absolute and the relative chilling tendencies, CT and CT_r, respectively, as well as the critical cooling rate, Q _cr, and the chill width, w, can be predicted from this work. The analytical model was experimentally verified for castings with various carbon contents. It was found that the carbon content increases the eutectic cell count, N while reducing the maximum degree of undercooling at the onset of graphite eutectic solidification, ?T _m. From this work it is evident that the main role of carbon on the transition from graphite to cementite eutectic is through its effect on increasing the growth coefficient and hence, the graphite eutectic growth rate, u. Moreover, at increasing carbon contents the absolute and the relative chilling tendencies including the chill width, all are significantly reduced. Finally, the equations derived using theoretical arguments for the chill width are rather similar to expressions based on a statistical analysis of the experimental outcome.     

Microstructure,mechanical properties and tribological behaviour of PM Fe-Cu-Zn alloys containing solid lubricants

Abstract

Fe-Cu-Zn alloys containing solid lubricants of graphite and talc produced via cold pressing and sintering technology are investigated. The influence of composition and sintering temperature on open porosity, density, strength and hardness of these alloys is studied. The microstructure is correlated with the mechanical properties of the sintered materials. The tensile tests showed that the peak strength was observed for samples sintered at ≤1000°C. Above this temperature the bending and tensile strength values decrease. Microstructural analysis of sintered materials revealed three phases in the structure: α-Fe, α-brass and talc. Results indicate that the microstructure of sintered samples is sensitive to process variables such as brass and talc contents and sintering temperature.     

Effect of copper and graphite addition on sinterability of iron

In ferrous powder metallurgy, copper and graphite are used as common alloying elements. Copper melts at low temperature compared to iron and forms liquid which promote interparticle bond formation. However, it also results in compact swelling. To negate this, graphite is used as an additive. This study examines the influence of copper and graphite addition on the densification, dimensional changes, and mechanical properties of iron compacts sintered at 1120°C. These properties have been correlated with the microstructure.     

Development of ultrasonic sensor for non-intrusive measurement of temparture in powder materials

Abstract

Fine and ultrafine powders are often used as starting materials for fabrication of advanced materials; they are first formed into desired shapes and then consolidated into high density parts by application of pressure and heat. Electroconsolidation is a densification method for rapid pressure assisted densification of complex shaped parts made from powder preforms. The part to be densified is immersed in a bed of free flowing, electrically conducting, graphite powder medium within a cylindrical die chamber. Pressure is applied externally and heat is generated internally by resistively heating the graphite powder. Because of rapid heating and the attendant wide temperature fluctuations possible with resistive heating, it is of paramount importance to measure and control the temperature in the die to achieve reproducible densification properties. This paper describes an ultrasonic pitch-catch sensor that can be used to non-intrusively measure the temperature of a graphite powder bed. Results of ultrasonic data for heating trials conducted at up to ≈3000°C indicate that the average temperature in a graphite powder bed can be predicted to within 2-3%. The ultrasonic sensor can be used to precisely control the heating trajectory and densification of parts with reproducible properties.