The phase composition, phase transition and phase structure transformation of the wire-cut section of functionally graded WC-Co cemented carbide with dual phase structure were investigated by XRD phase analysis. It is shown that the composition of η phase in the core zone is Co_3W_3C (M_6 C type). The structure of cobalt based solid solution binder phase is fcc type. At the cooling stage of the sintering process, the phase transition of η phase, i.e. M_6C→M_12C and the martensitic phase transition of the cobalt based solid solution binder phase, i.e. fcc→hcp are suppressed, which facilitates the strengthening of the alloy. Because the instantaneous temperature of the discharge channel is as high as 10 000 ℃ during the wire cutting process, the processed surface is oxidized. Nevertheless, the oxide layer thickness is in micro grade. In the oxide film, η phase is decomposed into W_2C and CoO, and cobalt based solid solution binder is selectively oxidized, while WC remains stable due to the existence of carbon containing liquid organic cutting medium.
A fine and platelet tungsten carbide patterned structure with fine yttrium containing dispersed phase was observed in liquid phase sintered WC-20%Co-1%Y2O3 cemented carbide with ultrafine tungsten carbide and nano yttrium oxide as starting materials.By comparing the microstructures of the alloy prepared by hot-press at the temperature below the eutectic melting temperature and by conventional liquid phase sintering,it is shown that hexagonal and truncated trigonal plate-like WC grains are formed through the mechanism of dissolution-precipitation(recrystallization)at the stage of liquid phase sintering.Yttrium in the addition form of oxide exhibits good ability in inhibiting the discontinuous or inhomogeneous WC grain growth in the alloy at the stage of solid phase sintering.
Three observation methods were used to investigate the existing form and the behavior of rare earth during the sintering process of high activity mischmetal (RE, with lanthanum and cerium) doped WC-8%Co-0.048%RE(mass fraction) alloy with low carbon-containing level by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDXS), considering the fact that the addition amount of rare earth in the alloy is very minute. The directional migration process and mechanism of cerium were discussed. First, the sinter skin (surface) is observed. It is shown that there exists a dispersedly distributed cerium containing oxide on the sinter skin, and lanthanum in these cerium enrichment positions is very minute. Secondly, the polished section is observed, and lanthanum containing phase/micro-zone in the alloy is identified. Finally, based on the fact that the fracture of cemented carbide is resulted from the heterogeneous phase or other defects within the microstructure, the fracture surface is observed and cerium containing phase/micro-zone in the fracture source approximately 260 μm from the surface is identified. These combined observations reveal adequately the fact that lanthanum and cerium get separated and cerium predominantly migrates towards the surface during the sintering process.
