Binderless WC with high strength and toughness up to 1500 °C. Issue 6 (June 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Silvestroni, Laura; Gilli, Nicola; Migliori, Andrea; Sciti, Diletta; Watts, Jeremy; Hilmas, Greg E.; Fahrenholtz, William G.
• Is Part Of: Journal of the European Ceramic Society. Volume 40:Issue 6(2020)
• Page Start: 2287
• Page End: 2294
• Publication Date: 2020-06
• Subjects: Tungsten carbide -- Hot pressing -- Microstructure -- Strength -- Fracture toughness; Ceramic materials -- Periodicals; Composite materials -- Periodicals; Matériaux céramiques -- Périodiques; Composites -- Périodiques; Ceramic materials; Composite materials; Periodicals; Electronic journals; 666.05
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jeurceramsoc.2020.01.055
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0955-2219

Abstract

Graphical abstract: Abstract: A tungsten carbide ceramic containing 5 vol% silicon carbide was hot pressed to full density at 1820 °C. A small amount of transient liquid phase based on W-C-Si-O facilitated oxide removal in the reducing environment and favoured the development of a bimodal microstructure containing sub-micrometric grains with square or rod-like morphologies. These microstructural features led to outstanding mechanical properties from room to elevated temperatures. For the first time, WC-materials were characterized up to 1500 °C exhibiting flexural strength over 1 GPa in the whole temperature range and fracture toughness from 7 to 15 MPa⋅√m.