Characterization Problems with Tungsten Carbide and Cobalt Powders

Abstract

Although hardmetal has been manufactured, by the powder metallurgy route for well over 55 years, the characterization of the starting powders, basically tungsten carbide and cobalt, still commands the attention of powder metallurgists. Three fine cobalt powders and two 1·2 μm (FSSS) tungsten carbide powders, freely available, have been both chemically and physically characterized. Various techniques of measuring physical characteristics, such as FSSS, BET gas adsorption, pore volume and area, sedimentation, SEM powder, and SEM polished and etched sections of copper impregnated powders, have been studied. The techniques have been discussed in relation to their advantages and disadvantages. The measurement by FSSS and BET gas adsorption give fairly reproducible results, as does the sedimentation technique. However, by reference to the two SEM techniques it has been shown that the very important characteristic of particle shape and, more importantly for tungsten carbide powder, particle agglomeration (due to the manufacturing route) is not fully revealed. The two SEM techniques are indispensable for defining shape and agglomeration characteristics. It is suggested that by using the SEM copper impregnated powder method and a semi-automatic image analysing system the true crystal (grain) size distribution of tungsten carbide powders can be evaluated. The chemical purity of cobalt and tungsten carbide powders has significantly increased in recent years. Some preliminary results from milled tungsten carbide powders are discussed. PM/0393