Effects of Powder Microscopic Defects on Densification and Mechanical Properties of WC via Spark Plasma Sintering

Abstract

The WC composite powder was synthesized by a new specific chemical activation technique. A large number of lattice defects such as surface humps, dislocations and stacking fault exist in the surface of the WC powder after chemical activation technique. By using such activated WC powder, the binderless WC cemented carbide with high density (15.54 g/cm3), super hardness (average 26.29 GPa) and excellent fracture toughness (8.9 MPa.m1/2) can be fabricated by SPS at 1700 °C and 50 MPa pressure. The improvement in density, hardness and fracture toughness are respectively 4.5%, 15.3% and 17.1% compared to when using the original WC powder. This improvement is because microscopic defects on the surface of the WC powder can greatly improve surface free energy of the powder, which improves the sintering activity and reduces the sintering temperature of the WC powder.