The binder phase of WC based cemented carbides has been alloyed by adding two different aluminium compounds, AlN and TiAl₃, to mixtures comprised of WC, Ni, Co and Cr₃C₂ powders. A more efficient alloying effect is obtained by TiAl₃ additions likely due to its higher dissolution rate during liquid phase sintering. Shrinkage and melting phenomena are strongly affected by the energy of the milling process and the amount of metallic additions. The use of higher milling rotation speed induces higher oxidation of the powder mixtures and the subsequent formation of a higher volume fraction of alumina particles after sintering. Densification and WC grain growth are hindered by increasing the Al addition. Thus, full densification of alloys with higher Al additions require the use of HIP after standard vacuum sintering cycles. As-HIPed WC-Ni-Co-Cr-Al-Ti samples present a binder phase with precipitation of gamma prime similar to that found in as-cast Ni superalloys. The size, volume fraction and morphology of these precipitates has been modified by applying a standard solution treatment (1150 °C-2 h) followed by fast air cooling and subsequent aging at 600 °C and different dwelling times. Age hardening effects have been confirmed in the composition consisting of WC-12 wt% Co-12 wt% Ni-1.7 wt% Cr₃C₂-5 wt% TiAl₃ after 100 h at this temperature.

通过将两种不同的铝化合物AlN和TiAl _3加入到由WC，Ni，Co和Cr ₃ C ₂粉末组成的混合物中，使WC基硬质合金的粘结相合金化。TiAl ₃可获得更有效的合金化效果可能是由于其在液相烧结过程中的较高溶解速率而添加的。收缩和熔化现象受制粉过程的能量和金属添加量的强烈影响。使用较高的研磨旋转速度引起粉末混合物的较高氧化，并在烧结后随后形成较高体积分数的氧化铝颗粒。增加Al的添加会阻碍致密化和WC晶粒的生长。因此，在标准真空烧结循环后，要对具有较高Al添加量的合金进行完全致密化处理，就需要使用HIP。初加工的WC-Ni-Co-Cr-Al-Ti样品呈现出一种结合相，其γ相沉淀与在铸造Ni超合金中所发现的相似。尺寸，这些沉淀的体积分数和形态已经通过标准溶液处理（1150°C-2 h），快速的空气冷却以及随后在600°C的老化和不同的停留时间进行了修改。在由WC-12 wt％Co-12 wt％Ni-1.7 wt％Cr组成的组合物中已确认了时效硬化作用在此温度下100小时后，生成₃ C ₂ -5 wt％TiAl ₃。