Mechanical properties of WC–10Co cemented carbides sintered from nanocrystalline spray conversion processed powders

Mechanical properties and microstructures of nanocrystalline WC–10Co cemented carbides were investigated. The nanocrystalline WC–10Co cemented carbide powders were manufactured by reduction and carbonization of the nanocrystalline precursor powders which were prepared by spray drying process of solution containing ammonia meta-tungstate (AMT) and cobalt nitrate. The WC powders were about 100 nm in diameter mixed homogeneously with Co binder phase and were sintered at 1375 °C under a pressure of 1 mTorr. In order to compare the microstructures and mechanical properties with those of nanocrystalline WC–10Co, commercial WC powders in a diameter range of 0.57–4 μm were mixed with Co powders, and were sintered at the same conditions as those of nanocrystalline powders. TaC, Cr₃C₂ and VC of varying amount were added into nanocrystalline WC–10Co cemented carbides as grain growth inhibitors. To investigate the microstructure of Co binder phase in the WC–10Co cemented carbides, Co–W–C alloy was fabricated at the temperature of sintering process for the WC–10Co cemented carbides. The hardness of WC–10Co cemented carbides increased with decreasing WC grain size following a Hall–Petch-type relationship. The fracture toughness of WC–10Co cemented carbides increases with increasing HCP/FCC ratio of Co binder phase by HCP/FCC phase transformation.