Wear properties of cemented carbides/Cu-based alloy composite strengthening materials for milling shoes

The microstructure and wear behavior of WC–8TiC–3TaC–8Co cemented carbide and Cu–Zn–Ni alloy composite strengthening materials have been investigated by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM), electron dispersion X-ray analysis (EDAX) and wear test. Effect of applied load and sliding distance on the wear behavior of the strengthening materials are also studied in this paper. The results show that the cemented carbide particles are surrounded by the α-Cu + β-Zn phases in the hardfacing layers. There exists an inter-diffusion zone at the interface of the cemented carbides and Cu-based matrix due to the mutual diffusion of elements. The wear volume of both the WC–8TiC–3TaC–8Co/CuZnNi and WC–8Co/CuZnNi composite strengthening layers increased with the increasing of applied load. The WC–8TiC–3TaC–8Co/CuZnNi hardfacing layers exhibited lower wear volume loss than that of WC–8Co/CuZnNi. According to the results of engineering application, the working efficiency and employing life of the milling shoes, which were strengthened by WC–8TiC–3TaC–8Co/CuZnNi composite materials, is by approximately two to three times the milling tools strengthened by WC–8Co/CuZnNi.