It is strong and elastic, has minimal strength loss at high temperatures, and is very wear-resistant. It is used to make metal tools and molds.
History
In the late 1920s, Karl Schroter patented Cemented Carbide Plates as a composite material of a "soft" binder metal (usually cobalt or nickel), and "hard" carbides such as tungsten carbide (WC), molybdenum carbide (Mo2C), tantalum carbide (TaC), chromium carbide (Cr3C2), vanadium carbide (VC), niobium carbide (NbC), titanium carbide (TiC) and hafnium carbide (HfC).
Cemented carbide is most commonly based on a WC phase with a metallic binding agent, usually cobalt. The metallic binder phase has a significant effect on the mechanical properties of the carbide material.
It can improve the transverse rupture strength of tungsten carbide, for example. Similarly, small amounts of nickel or iron can enhance the bending toughness of carbide grades with high cobalt content and coarse grain size.
The carbide grades that result are used in a variety of applications including cutting, machining, mining, and other industrial processing tools. They also form the basis of many high-performance components in the automotive industry, oil gas nozzle fuel pumps, hydraulics in jet engines and a wide variety of other applications.
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Composition
Cemented carbide (sometimes called hard metal) is a powder metallurgy alloy that consists of one or several refractory carbide powders (tungsten carbide, titanium carbide) and metal powders (cobalt, nickel) as adhesive. It is used to produce high-speed cutting tools, tools to machine hard and tough materials and cold working dies.
The main component is tungsten carbide. It has a high hardness and high melting temperature. It is combined with a metal binding agent of a tough nickel alloy or cobalt to give the material its strength, flexibility, and durability.
For wear parts, a variety of grades are available with different WC means grain size, Co content, and amount of grain growth inhibitors. Nearly all of these grades have submicron or medium-sized microstructures.
Cemented carbide is used primarily in the production of metal cutting tools. These are produced by sintering hard tungsten carbide grains in a binder matrix of a tough cobalt or nickel composite.
Properties
Cemented carbides are a type two-phase powder-metallurgical material that consists of a hard metal binder (binder) as well as a hard carbide. The latter is generally tungsten carbide, but other materials may also be used.
These materials are a great choice for engineering applications because of their combination of high hardness, strength and appropriate toughness. These materials can also fatigue under cyclic loads.
Cyclic loading causes continuously alternating internal stresses in the G25 cemented carbide balls (see Figure 3). These stresses cause plastic deformation of the binder. This loss of ductility then impairs its bond with the carbide grains, which may eventually cause cracks to form within these particles.
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Applications
Cemented carbides can be used in many different applications. They are often found in cutting tools and metal molds.
The Tungsten carbide roller nail for cement are made using powder metallurgy. One or more refractory caride powders (tungsten, titanium, and tantalum carbide) are mixed with a metallic binder (cobalt or nickel). Once the desired shape is achieved, it can be sintered.
The resulting alloy has a high hardness and strength. It is also resistant against high temperatures and wear.
It can be used for various metal cutting tools such as drills, milling cutters and lathes. It can also be used to make cold molds and measure tools for hard or difficult materials.
They are characterized by their high hardness and toughness and are considered to be the most versatile hard metals for engineering and tooling applications. These properties are important for forming tools and structural components as they offer increased durability and reliability.
