Effect of Addition of Tungsten Carbide on the Structural and Physical Properties of an Aluminum-Based System By Powder Method

Abstract

The powder technology method was used for the purpose of making samples from the compound (Al-10%Al2O3-%WC), where the first support material was used alumina Al2O3 at a fixed rate of 10% and the second support material WC was in different proportions (0,5, 10,15,20) %, the three powders were grinded together for a period of two hours, then put into a mold and the process was pressed with a hydraulic press at 5 tons for a time of one minute. An English-origin oven was used and the sintering process was done for the samples at 560°C and for a time of only two hours. After that, compositional tests (XRD), physical (real and apparent density, real and apparent porosity) and mechanical (diagonal compressive strength) were performed on the sintered samples. As these tests gave encouraging results with almost distinctive characteristics at a ratio of mixing of 20% WC and thermal sintering of 560°C, as the bulk density was within the limits of 5.51 g/cm3 while the real density was 4.9 g/cm3, while the minimum apparent porosity was 8.83% and the porosity. The real one is 11.76%, while the diagonal compressive strength is 45.33MPa. As for the structural results of the X-ray diffraction after the sintering process, it showed the emergence of a new phase of the tertiary metal oxide (WO3) and the (Triclinic) phase, as well as the emergence of tungsten carbide in the cubic phase.