Property correlations of WC-Co with modified binders

Abstract

In the last few decades, there has been an upward trend in incorporating alloying additives into WC-Co hardmetals for property enhancement. Alloying elements such as Ru, Re and Mo have been used effectively to improve some functional properties of WC-Co. These elements dissolve in the cobalt binder of WC-Co during sintering to form solid solution phases with different properties from the cobalt binder. Property correlations of binder modified WC-Co compositions are rarely published. In this paper, correlations between properties and microstructure of binder modified WC-Co compositions were established. Observed property correlations were explained based on solid solution formation and strengthening.