Effect of alumina inclusions on microstructure and mechanical properties of 62 WC, 32 (Ti-W) C and 6 Co compacts Online publication date: Tue, 14-Aug-2012
by Mushtaq Albdiry; Haydar Alethari
International Journal of Microstructure and Materials Properties (IJMMP), Vol. 7, No. 4, 2012
Abstract: This investigation is aimed at understanding the role of adding ceramic inclusion, alumina (Al2O3) on the densification, microstructure and mechanical properties of cemented carbide cutting inserts. The samples were prepared of an initial mixture of 62 WC, 32 (Ti-W) C and 6 Co wt% particulates; different additions of Al2O3 of 1, 2, 3 and 4 wt% were introduced to that mixture. The testing specimens were compacted via powder metallurgy at 200 MPa and sintered at 1,410°C under vacuum. The green and sintered densities have decreased; the figures of macrohardness, Vickers hardness and transverse rupture strength have also deteriorated with the increase of alumina content. The macrohardness has almost declined of 30% at 3% alumina. This is ascribed to the interfacial grain-boundary decohesion between Al2O3 and carbide particles as can be observed from scanning electron microscopy images which depicts the monolithic clusters in the final consolidation of the compacts.
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