High pressure synthesis of tungsten carbide–cubic boron nitride (WC–cBN) composites: Effect of thermodynamic condition and cBN volume fraction on their microstructure and properties. Issue 11 (September 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Wu, Jiakun; Wang, Haikuo; Wang, Chao; Tang, Yao; Hou, Zhiqiang; Wan, Shun; Liu, Binghe; Wu, Dazhuan; Chen, Bin; Tan, Zhongjun; Ouyang, Xiaoping
• Is Part Of: Journal of the European Ceramic Society. Volume 42:Issue 11(2022)
• Page Start: 4503
• Page End: 4512
• Publication Date: 2022-09
• Subjects: High pressure -- High temperature -- Tungsten carbide -- Cubic boron nitride -- Hardness -- 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.2022.04.037
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 0955-2219

Abstract

Abstract: Tungsten carbide (WC) with different amounts of Cubic boron nitride (cBN) were synthesized by High Pressure-High Temperature (HPHT) method. The mapping correlation between thermodynamic condition, cBN addition, and microstructure, mechanical properties of WC–cBN composites was established and analyzed by response surface methodology. The main factors affecting the properties of composites were identified by ANOVA. The optimum thermodynamic condition was calculated. It was found that a minor phase transformation of cBN into the low-hardness hBN occurred at a temperature of 1300 °C and intensified at 1500 °C. The homogeneously dispersed cBN particles in the WC matrix promoted an improvement of hardness and fracture toughness, but the phase transition of cBN and its truss effect can dramatically reduce the mechanical properties. The Vickers hardness and fracture toughness of the well-sintered WC-cBN bulks reached a high value of 34 GPa and 13.6 MPa·m 1/2, which are improved by 17% and 52% respectively compared with the pure WC samples sintered under similar high-pressure level.