Sliding wear behavior of WC–Co–Cr3C2–VC composites fabricated by conventional and non-conventional techniques

• Published in: Wear Vol. 307; no. 1-2; pp. 60 - 67
• Main Authors: Espinosa-Fernández, L., Borrell, A., Salvador, M.D., Gutierrez-Gonzalez, C.F.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier B.V 30.09.2013; Elsevier
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Cermets; Contact of materials. Friction. Wear; Cutting tools; Exact sciences and technology; Hardness; Mechanical properties and methods of testing. Rheology. Fracture mechanics. Tribology; Metals. Metallurgy; Powder metallurgy. Composite materials; Production techniques; Sintered metals and alloys. Pseudo alloys. Cermets; Sliding wear; Cutting tools; Cermets; Sliding wear; Hardness; Tungsten carbide; Scanning electron microscopy; Grain growth; Surface analysis; Cobalt; Composite material; Dry friction; Spark plasma sintering; Wear rate; Cermet; Sintering; Inhibitor; Damaging
• ISSN: 0043-1648; 1873-2577
• DOI: 10.1016/j.wear.2013.08.003

The present work aims are to study the dry sliding wear behavior of WC-12wt%Co materials, with or without addition of Cr3C2/VC grain growth inhibitors, and to sinter them by two different consolidation techniques: conventional sintering and spark plasma sintering (SPS). The dry sliding wear tests were performed on a tribometer with a ball-on-disc configuration using a WC–Co ball as a counterpart material with a normal contact load of 60N, a sliding distance of 10,000m and a sliding speed of 0.1m/s. The influence of the grain growth inhibitors and the consolidation techniques in sintered samples were related to the friction coefficient, wear rates and wear pattern damage. Samples sintered by non-conventional technique (SPS) show the best wear resistance and lower friction coefficient. The addition of inhibitors reduces the wear rates in materials consolidated by both techniques. The differences in the wear damage are related to microstructural parameters, mechanical properties and wear rates. •An important reduction is observed on the friction coefficient in SPS materials.•The inhibitors have more influence in the friction coefficient of CS materials.•The SPS technique provides materials with an excellent sliding wear resistance.•The wear rates are about twenty times lower in SPS mixtures respect to CS materials.•The increments in dry sliding wear resistance with inhibitors have been proven.