• Journal of the Korean Ceramic Society
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• v.41 no.2
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• pp.131-135
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• 2004

The effect of Co additive on the microstructural evolusion of WC was investigated. A small amount of Co powder was placed on the top-center of the pure WC powder compact and then sintered at 1950$^{\circ}C$. During sintering some abnormally large WC grains of different size and shape observed depending on the distance from the liquid source. However, in the region far away from Co liquid source, it showed low densification and the grains of WC were very small and uniform in size. A small amount of Co liquid phase has a remarkable influence on the AGG of WC and it has been explained in terms of 2-D nucleation and growth mechanism.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.208-216
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• 1994

A radically new approach to the in situ synthesis of the consituent phases of a composite structure has enabled the production of a new WC/Co materials with an ultrafine microstructure. The process for synthesizing nanophase WC/Co powders consists of spray drying from solution to form a homogeneous precursor powder, and thermochemical conversion of the precursor powder to the nanophase WC/Co powder. Near theoretical density of pure nanophase WC-10 wt%Co has been obtained in only 30 sec at 140$0^{\circ}C$. But WC particles were grown up very rapidly with longer sintering time to get full density. To overcome coarsening of WC particle during sintering, VC, TaC and VC/TaC were used as the grain growth inhibitor with different amount respectively. VC/TaC doped WC-10 wt%Co was shown superior hardness and TRS and microstructure was maintained ultrafine scale (average WC size is less than 0.1 ${\mu}{\textrm}{m}$).

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.88-95
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• 1999

The purpose of this study is to investigate the manufacturing feasibility of WC-Co milling inserts via Powder Injection Molding (PIM) process. WC-Co is used in a wide variety of cutting tools due to its high hardness, stiffness, compressive strength and wear resistance properties. WC-Co parts for a high stress application were conventionally produced by the press and sinter method, which were Iimited to 2 dimensional shapes. Manufacturing WC-Co parts for a high stress application by PIM implies that tool efficiency can be highly improved due to increased freedom is design. P30 grade WC powder (WC-Co-TiC-TaC system) was mixed with RIST-5B133 binder and injection molded into milling inserts (Taegu Tech. Model WCMX 06T 308). The mean grain size of the powder was about 0.8$\mu$m. Injection molded specimens were debound by solvent extraction and thermal degradation method at various conditions. The specimens were sintered at 140$0^{\circ}C$ for 1 hr in vacuum. Carbon content, weight loss, dimensional change, and macro defects of the specimen were carefully monitored at each stage of the PIM process. PIMed WC-Co milling inserts reached 100% full density after sinteing. Its mechanical properties and micro-structures were comparable with the press and sintered milling insert. Carbon content of the sintered WC-Co insert was mainly determained by the atmosphere of thermal debinding. By controlling powder loading and injection molding condition, dimensional accuracy could be obtained within 0.4%. We confirm that PIM can not only be an alternative manufacturing method for WC-Co parts economically but also provide a design freedom for more effieient cutting tools.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.5 no.4
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• pp.279-285
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• 1998

The microstructures and mechanical properties of submicron WC-Co cemented carbides were investigated in relation to cobalt content. To inhibit the WC grain growth during sintering, VC was added as a inhibitor in each alloy with 3 mass% to the cobalt content. The WC-(5, 8, 10, 15, 20) mass% Co compacts were sintered at $1400^{\circ}C$ for 30 min in vacuum. Some of WC-(5, 8, 10) mass% Co sintered compacts were HIPed with 120 atm at 130$0^{\circ}C$ for 1 hr. The shrinkages of all HIPed alloys were increased without depending on the cobalt contents and the sintered densities of them. The relative densities of the alloys were increased with the cobalt content and HIPing. The less the cobalt content, the larger the WC grain. Many contiguities of WC grains were found in WC-5 mass% Co alloy. The sizes and numbers of pores in the alloys were decreased by HIPing. And also the strength and the hardness of each alloy were increased. The maximum hardness was about 18.95 GPa in the WC-5 mass% Co alloy HIPed and the maximum transverse-rupture strength (T.R.S.) 3.2 GPa in the WC-20 mass% Co alloy sintered.

• Journal of Ocean Engineering and Technology
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• v.8 no.2
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• pp.105-114
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• 1994

초경합금은 기계적 성질이 다른 WC의 분상상과 Co의 결합상으로 구성되어 있다. 만일 이합금이 거시적으로 균일하게 변형을 하면, 각 상들은 이들의 응력상태에 따라 다르게 변형될 것이다. 따라서 WC-Co 합금의 변형특성과 강화기구를 명확히 알기 위해서는 각상의 미시적 변형과 파괴기구를 검토할 필요가 있다. 본 연구에서는 시편에 굽힘하중을 가하여, X선 회절로 분산상인 WC상 및 결합상인 Co상의 X선적 탄성정수와 응력정수를 측정하였다. WC-Co합금중의 WC상과 Co상의 상응력은 WC(112)면과 CO(311)면의 회절로서 결정하였다. 그리고 이 상응력들을 복합법칙의 적용가능성에 대하여 검토하였다.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.8 no.4
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• pp.231-238
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• 2001

We combined Field-Activated Combustion Synthesis(FACS) with mechanical pressure to produce dense WC-20 vol.%Co composite in one step. The hardness, the fracture toughness and the relative density of the dense WC-20 vol.%Co were investigated. Under the application of 60 MPa pressure and 3000A current on the reactants, the relative density of WC-20 vol.%Co composite was 99.4%. The fracture toughness and hardness were $9.4 MPa.m^{1/2}$ and $1672kg\textrm{mm}^2$ respectively. The fracture toughness and hardness of WC-20 vol.%Co composite produced by FAPACS were lower than that of nanostructured composite, but similar to commercial ones. Therefore we concluded that the FAPACS method which can produce WC-20 vol.%Co within several minutes in one step is superior to conventional ones.

• Journal of Welding and Joining
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• v.21 no.2
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• pp.50-56
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• 2003

Metal matrix composites(MMC) consist of metal matrix into which is distributed a second solid phase. The normal intension is to develop a material with superior mechanical properties (for example increased toughness, stiffness and wear resistance) compared to those inherent in the matrix component. In this study, WC-12%Co/low carbon steel MMC overlays have been prepared by Gas Metal Arc Welding(GMAW) according to feeding rate of WC-12%Co grit. The macro and microstructures were examined using optical microscopy (OM) and scanning electron microscopy(SEM) each other. The characteristics of hardness and wear resistance have been investigated. WC-12%Co/low carbon steel MMC overlays which have been taken good beads without porosity and cracks were manufactured by method of GMAW. Matrix of overlayed surface was seen as fish bone and faceted dendrite structures. It was known that structures were iron tungsten carbides, Fe$_{6}$W$_{6}$C which have been occurred by melting of WC-12%Co grits. After MMC had been tested by block-roll wear test it was known that WC-12%Co/low carbon steel MMC has a excellent wear resistance by exiting Fe6w6c and WC-12%Co grit. The consequence was that region of overlay with Fe$_{6}$W$_{6}$C phase has been showed a model of adhesive wear, but region of overlay with WC-12%Co grit was restrained as a result of mechanism that wear of WC-12%Co grit is not adhesive but fracture.racture.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.11 no.2
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• pp.124-129
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• 2004

Nanosized WC and WC-Co powders were synthesised by chemical vapor condensation(CVC) process using the pyrolysis of tungsten hexacarbonyl(W(CO)$_6$) and cobalt octacarbonyl(Co$_2$(CO)$_8$). The microstructural changes and phase evolution of the CVC powders during post heat-treatment were studied using the XRD, FE-SEM, TEM, and ICP-MS. CVC powders were consisted of the loosely agglomerated sub-stoichimetric WC$_{1-x}$ and the long-chain Co nanopowders. The sub-stochiometric CVC WC and WC-Co powders were carburized using the mixture gas of CH$_4$-H$_2$ in the temperature range of 730-85$0^{\circ}C$. Carbon content of CVC powder controlled by the gas phase carburization at 85$0^{\circ}C$ was well matched with the theoretical carbon sioichiometry of WC, 6.13 wt％. During the gas phase carburization, the particle size of WC increased from 20 nm to 40 nm and the long chain structure of Co powders disappeared.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Tribologists and Lubrication Engineers Conference
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• 2002.10b
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• pp.213-214
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• 2002

WC cemented carbide are used as many die material to improve abration resistance. Mechanical properties of the cemented carbide were influenced by Co content and WC grain size. In this study, effects of Co content and WC grain size of WC cemented carbide on wear were examied. We prepared 13 cemented carbides with different Co content and WC grain size. Wear test was carried out against S45C under dry condition at 98N and 232mm/s. From the results, we found that wear increased with both Co content and WC grain size. Specific wear rate was range $10^{-7}mm^3/Nm$.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.14 no.5
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• pp.315-319
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• 2007

Pure WC or WC with low Co concentration less than 0.5 wt.% is studied to fabricate high density WC/Co cemented carbide using vacuum sintering and post HIP process. Considering the high melting point of WC, it is difficult to consolidate it without the use of Co as binder. In this study, the effect of lower Co addition on the microstructure and mechanical properties evolution of WC/CO was investigated. By HIP process after vacuum sintering, hardness and density was sharply increased. The hardness values was $2,800kgf/mm^2$ using binderless WC.