Study on Co Migration and Shape Distortion during Sintering using Joined Plates of WC-Co Cemented Carbides

Abstract

Joined plates of WC-Co cemented carbides with different Co content, WC grain size and carbon content were fabricated by sintering, grinding into rectangular plates, and then reheating (joining) the two plates together. Distribution of Co, microstructure and shape of such joined plates were investigated in detail. It was confirmed that Co migrated from higher Co content to lower one, from coarser WC grains to finer ones and from higher carbon content to lower one as shown in previous studies by Lisovsky and Fang. Shapes of the joined plates were distorted caused by volume change of each plate resulting from migration of liquid Co and solute WC through the interface of the joined plates. In the joined plates with different Co content, Co distributed discontinuously at the interface. This result can be explained by the fact that Co content at the both sides of the interface had been almost fixed just after two faces were joined. This study was done under the special condition using joined plates, but the results obtained suggest that the shape of industrial-made WC-Co cemented carbides should be distorted when distribution of Co becomes non uniform.