Wear performance of spark plasma sintered Co/WC and cBN/Co/WC composites

Yaman B., MANDAL H.

INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF REFRACTORY METALS & HARD MATERIALS, vol.42, pp.9-16, 2014 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Publication Type: Article / Article
  • Volume: 42
  • Publication Date: 2014
  • Doi Number: 10.1016/j.ijrmhm.2013.10.010
  • Journal Name: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF REFRACTORY METALS & HARD MATERIALS
  • Journal Indexes: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus
  • Page Numbers: pp.9-16
  • Keywords: Tungsten carbide composites, Cubic boron nitride, Spark plasma sintering technique, Wear resistance, WC-CO, PARTICLE-SIZE, TOOL WEAR, MICROSTRUCTURE, CONSOLIDATION, DENSIFICATION, RESISTANCE, CARBIDES
  • Eskisehir Osmangazi University Affiliated: Yes

Abstract

The present study investigates the efficiency of spark plasma sintering (SPS) technique on the tribological behavior of tungsten carbide composites, and aims to develop the wear resistance of these composites by addition of cubic boron nitride (cBN). Wear tests of spark plasma sintered 6(wt.%)Co/WC, 25(vol%)cBN/6Co/WC and conventionally fabricated 6(wt.%)Co/WC as a reference sample were performed by ball-on-disk contact with dry and rotational sliding at room temperature in order to determine the friction coefficient and wear rate. Wear mechanisms were explained by using SEM observations and the wear rates were computed by a surface profilometer. In all cases, the major wear mechanisms were observed gradually in the form of microcraking, material removal by grain pull out, and generation and spalling of a tribochemical layer. Based on the experimental results, the addition of cBN considerably enhanced the wear resistance of tungsten carbides. In addition, these results revealed that SPS process has outstanding potential for the fabrication of tungsten carbides with high wear properties for tribological applications. (C) 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.