Synthesis of ultrafine WC/Co powder by mechanochemical process

Abstract

A new approach to produce ultrafine WC/Co powder by a mechanochemical process was made to improve the mechanical properties of advanced hardmetals and to cut production costs. For powder preparation, the water soluble salts containing W and Co components were used as starting materials. After synthesis of the precursor powder from an aqueous solution by a spray drying technique, a salt removing heat treatment in air atmosphere was carried out to prepare the oxide powder. The oxide powder was mixed with carbon black by ball milling and this mixture was converted at 800^oC to the nanophase WC/Co powder in H₂ and N₂ atmospheres. The average size of the WC particle was 100-150 nm. The possibility of achieving high density sintered material with an ultrafine and homogeneous microstructure using grain growth inhibitors, such as tantalum and vanadium carbides, has been shown.