The hardmetal industry is continuously seeking for (Co, Ni)-free binder alternatives. Several attempts have been made to use FeMn binders, Mn being a very effective austenite stabilizer. Substitution of Co binders for FeMn based binders comes along with many challenges such as: narrow carbon windows, evaporation of Mn during sintering or the formation of stable Mn-oxides. This work presents an overview

Nitrogen and hydrogen impurities play a vital role in the growth of diamonds. A series of nitrogen–hydrogen co-doped diamonds was synthesized through the temperature gradient growth method using melamine (C3H6N6) and ferrocene (Fe(C5H5)2) as nitrogen and hydrogen sources at 6.0 GPa and 1368–1384 °C. NiMnCo alloy was used to catalyze the synthesis of the diamond, and Ni was used as a hydrogen storage

The solidification process often determines the microstructure of alloys from the atomic scale to the macroscopic scale, which distinguishes the performance of one alloy from another. Among all modification measures, the cooling rate plays a vital role in the solidification process. Hereinto, to thoroughly investigate the cooling rate effects on phase components, microstructures and mechanical properties

Based on first-principles Density functional theory (DFT), the binding work, interface energy, electronic structure and interface bonding mechanism of WC-304 stainless steel with Fe-Cr-Ni cemented carbides were calculated. The results show that the interface between Fe (100) and WC (100) C-teminations has the lowest interface distance and the highest binding work when it is constructed with MT position

In this paper, 0.5 wt% SiC nano particles and pure tungsten powders were thoroughly mixed using ball milling, followed by sintering the mixture using Spark Plasma Sintering (SPS) to obtain the W-0.5SiC composite material block. Then, the effect of sintering temperature on the microstructure and mechanical properties of W-0.5SiC composite was investigated. It was found that the tungsten carbide (W2C)

W-Mo-Cu alloy is a novel, potential pseudo-alloy but demand efficient and reliable manufacturing approaches. In this study, W-Mo-Cu alloys with (1–5 wt%) Co additives were fabricated using large current electric field sintering at a pressure of 25 MPa and a low temperature of 950 °C. The effects of Co on the microstructure and properties of the W-Mo-Cu alloys were investigated. The results revealed

B6O is an extremely prospective hard material for industrial applications. Herein, the densification behavior, microstructure and mechanical properties of high-pressure sintered B6O ceramics at 6 GPa are investigated. The sintered B6O ceramics exhibit enhanced densification as the sintering temperature increases, and the ceramic sintered at 1700 °C possesses nearly full-dense characteristics with strong

Various contents of rhenium (Re) were successfully doped into WC-15Co hard alloys. After that, some professional analytical instruments such as SEM, XRD, hardness tester, muffle furnace, and electrochemical workstation were chosen to appraise their microstructures and properties. By comparison, rhenium doping could greatly change the high-temperature hardness and high-temperature antioxidant capacity

WC-10Co cemented carbide containing CeO2 and Cu additives was prepared by powder metallurgy. The effect of Cu and CeO2 additives on microstructure and performances of WC-10Co cemented carbide was studied by XRD, SEM, EDS, Vickers hardness tester, and wear-test machines. Compared to WC-10Co-0.4CeO2, the average grain size of WC-10Co-0.4CeO2–0.4Cu decreased from 410 ± 12 to 360 ± 8 nm. The hardness and

Boron-doped diamond (BDD) single crystals were synthesized with different boron additions using the temperature gradient method (TGM) in the pressure and temperature ranges of 5.6–6.0 GPa and 1360–1410 °C, respectively. The samples were characterized in terms of morphology, crystal quality and performance. The boron addition to the diamond gradually changed the crystal color from yellow-green to opaque

In this work, TiBN and W were used as reinforced phases for Cu-based electrical contact materials. The microstructure, resistivity and arc corrosion resistance of Cu/TiBN and Cu/W alloys were investigated to understand the effect of TiBN and W doping on Cu/TiBN and Cu/W electrical contacts, respectively. Significant improvement in electrical conductivity, oxidation resistance and arc corrosion resistance

The high ductile-brittle transition temperature of tungsten (W) makes it prone to crack during additive manufacturing. Incorporating lanthania (La2O3) to tungsten had been proven to be an efficient way to solve the cracking problem. However, the current incorporation methods are often accompanied by problems such as uneven dispersion of lanthania. In this study, W-La2O3 spherical powder with uniform

C/C composites were flash joined with ZrHfNbTa and TiZrHfTa refectory high entropy alloy fillers using spark plasma sintering within a short time frame of 16 s. The influence of different fillers on the joint morphology, shear strength at room temperature, and fracture behavior was investigated. The results indicated that the ZrHfNbTa filler completely transformed into carbide after flash SPS joining

Since a nanometer-thick carbide layer will be indispensably produced on diamond to ensure wettability with metallic parts, the interfacial properties of diamond/carbide directly affect the service performance of diamond devices. Herein, first-principles calculations were performed to investigate the interfacial properties and tensile responses of diamond(001)/TiC(111) interfaces. Taking into account

In this study, a novel medium-heavy alloy (MHA) of 56Ni-38 W-5Co-1Ta was prepared using conventional casting and forging methods. This novel NiW alloy exhibits a unique combination of medium density, high strength and ductility under quasi-static loading conditions. In this study, the dynamic mechanical behaviors and deformation mechanisms of this novel NiW alloy were systematically investigated. The

In this investigation, globular cubic boron nitride magnetic abrasive powders (cBN-MAPs) were synthesized with additive-free via plasma molten metal powders bonding with hard materials (PM2BH) for finishing hard and brittle materials. Experiments were carried out with cBN powder flow rates of 60–300 g/min, which significantly affected the performance and microstructure of the composites. It illustrates

To expand the applications of WCoB ternary borides in industry, the effect of Ni addition to WCoB-TiC cermets on their microstructures and properties was investigated in this study. Most of the Ni added was in the binder phase, forming a solid solution with Co. Although traces of Ni were dissolved in the hard phase, no new hard phase was generated. The thickness of the elongated hard phase increased

In this study, lightweight Al0.8Nb0.5TixV2Zr0.5 refractory complex concentrated alloys with different Ti contents (x = 0.4, 0.8, 1.2, and 1.6) are fabricated via vacuum arc melting. The effects of Ti on microstructurale evolution, density, and mechanical properties at room and elevated temperatures are investigated. The Al0.8Nb0.5TixV2Zr0.5 alloys are composed of a BCC solid solution matrix and a C14-Laves

4TaC–1ZrC ceramics with and without Y2O3 and La2O3 additives were prepared via hot-pressing at the temperatures ranging from 1650 °C to 1950 °C. Approximately 98% relative densities were obtained at or above 1900 °C for 4TaC–1ZrC ceramics with and without Y2O3 additive. Exceeding 99% relative density was obtained at 1700 °C for 4TaC–1ZrC ceramic with La2O3 additive. The elastic properties, electrical

Intermetallic compounds, known for their excellent hardness, conductivity, and strength, have significant applications in aerospace and automotive industries. Hardness is a crucial mechanical property in the development and optimization of intermetallic compounds (IMCs), and meanwhile, spark plasma sintering (SPS) serves as a prevalent technique for preparing IMCs. In this study, a dataset of Vickers

Microcrystalline diamond (MCD), nanocrystalline diamond (NCD), boron doped microcrystalline diamond (BDMCD), and boron doped microcrystalline-nanocrystalline diamond (BDM-NCD) films were prepared by hot filament chemical vapor deposition (HFCVD) technique. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Raman spectroscopy and Rockwell indention testes were used to characterize the microstructure and properties

The hot deformation behavior of TZM-1.0 wt% ZrO2 alloy in the temperature range of 1000–1600 °C and strain rate range of 0.005–1 s−1 was studied by hot compression method. The constitutive equation and hot working diagram were established, and the microstructure evolution was emphatically analyzed by SEM and EBSD. The results indicate that the flow stress decreases with the increase of temperature

The cubic press is a common high-pressure equipment, used in scientific research and industrial production of diamonds because of its large sample cavity, simple operation, low cost, and high production efficiency. However, the ultimate pressure of the cubic press is low, which can be increased by adding the pressurization block (PB) to the assembly. In this paper, the pressurization effect of differently-shaped

Tungsten (W)-based composites with 1 wt% SiC were consolidated via field assisted sintering (FAST). FAST was conducted at temperatures ranging from 1000 °C to 1700 °C with holding times of 1–10 min under a pressure of 50 MPa. The densification and grain growth mechanisms were investigated using a creep deformation model and the grain growth power law. Various densification and grain growth mechanisms

In this study, ultrafine Mo powder was synthesized via hydrogen reduction of MoO2 at various temperatures for different durations. The outcomes indicated that the higher temperature (in the range of 650–900 °C) could effectively enhance the reaction rate, leading to a substantial reduction in the time needed to complete the reduction reaction. Nevertheless, the obtained ultrafine Mo powder exhibited

The multicomponent Ti-B-Si-C hard coatings consisting of different hard phases have varied uses in tool, heavy duty as well as microelectronic industries, The fractural features related to the toughness of Ti-B-Si-C coatings by pyramidal indenters of two different geometry (Berkovich and cube corner) were investigated. The differences in stress distribution beneath the indentation region were studied

This research paper investigates the impact of particle size on the densification and mechanical properties of TiB2 ceramics. The study compares the behavior of as-received TiB2 powder with a particle size of 6.5 ± 3.5 μm to ball-milled TiB2 powder with a particle size of 1.1 ± 0.6 μm. The addition of a B4C sintering additive was employed to enhance densification. The results reveal that full densification

This study presents a novel approach for the synthesis of WC-Ni cemented carbides with enhanced mechanical properties. A low-cost solution-based route was used to coat WC powders with well-distributed metallic nickel dots measuring between 17 nm and 39 nm in diameter. Varying compositions with loadings of 2, 6, and 14 vol% Ni were consolidated using spark plasma sintering (SPS) at 1350 °C under 50 MPa

Mo10Nb alloy is susceptible to brittle cracking during hot deformation due to a small amount of oxygen. In order to find out the mechanism of oxygen-induced cracking and low steady stress, here we investigate the influence of oxygen on the microstructure and hot deformation of Mo10Nb. Results show that the high chemical affinity with Nb makes the O atoms tend to dissolve inside the grains of Mo10Nb

Coated hardmetals are commonly used tool materials for metal cutting applications. For these applications, the substrate- and the coating surface qualities are improved by grinding, polishing, or blasting. The focus of the current work was to study the influence of different combinations of substrate-coating surface processing techniques on the induced damage in Al2O3/TiCN hard-coated WC-12 wt% hardmetal

Refractory alloys with their brilliant high-temperature tolerance earn a place for applications in extremely harsh environments. Recent development in additive manufacturing technologies speeds up these alloys' design and forming processes before entering the market. However, the desire for better microstructures and superior high-temperature mechanical behaviors has never been fed up. As was wished

Tungsten fiber reinforced tungsten composites were fabricated by Fe activated sintering. The effect of Fe content (0.5% ∼ 1.0%(wt%)) and original fiber volume fraction (10% ∼ 50%(vol%)) on relative density, microstructure and mechanical properties were studied. The interaction between the Fe and tungsten fiber was analyzed. The fracture behavior as well as the strengthening and toughening mechanisms

Compared to pure tungsten, self-passivating tungsten alloys (SPTAs) for the future nuclear fusion armour are expected to offer a major safety guarantee in a loss-of-coolant accident (LOCA) event. Here we used laser powder bed fusion (LPBF) to print a self-passivating W-10Cr system. The main challenges for processing W-10Cr alloys are balling phenomena and chromium loss due to their melting point differences

Amorphous carbon–containing CrAlCN coating was deposited on Cr12MoV steel by cathodic arc ion plating. The effect of amorphous carbon on the tribological performance of obtained coating under the different normal loads was investigated using a ball–on–disc tester, and the lubrication and wear mechanisms of amorphous carbon were discussed in detail. The results show that the CrAlCN coating is composed

Polycrystalline cubic boron nitride (PcBN) is a widely used tool material for cutting hard materials under high-speed and heavy-duty cutting conditions. As the need for in-orbit manufacturing and service in vacuum environment of outer space grows, understanding the tribological behavior of PcBN tools during vacuum operation becomes increasingly important. This study investigates the effect of different

Nowadays, there is a trend in the industry to reduce or even eliminate the use of cutting fluid in machining operations. The high costs of purchasing, using, and disposing of fluids and problems related to environmental pollution and operator health favor the dry-cutting technique. However, in some machining processes, lubrication is required. In this cases, solid lubrication may be a solution. The

Pure W were fabricated by wire plasma arc additive manufacturing technology (WPAAM) and systematically investigated in terms of the microstructure and mechanical property. The as-fabricated W exhibits large-size columnar grains along the deposition direction, and it has extremely few microcracks, compared with that fabricated by laser powder bed fusion (LPBF). The compression strength and compressive

90W-7Ni-3Fe alloy is a heterogeneous biphasic alloy, and it is essential to investigate the impact of the biphasic microstructure on key mechanical properties at varying strain rates. To address this issue, the quasi-static and dynamic compressive mechanical properties of dual-phase 90W-7Ni-3Fe alloy, single-phase pure W, and single-phase NiFe alloy were comparatively analyzed in conjunction with characterization

High-efficiency sawing is widely applied in primary and secondary machining sectors, but it faces limitations due to saw tooth life and manufacturing constraints. This research investigates the wear mechanism, wear characteristics, and sawing performance of carbide and polycrystalline diamond (PCD) saw teeth when machining hard aluminum alloy. The results show that the sawing forces with PCD saw teeth

Weld cracks and low weld strength of Nb521 to GH3128 dissimilar metal welded joint are key factors influencing their weldability. To obtain favorable crack-free laser welded joints, this research adopted copper as an interlayer to research the microstructure and properties of laser direct welded and laser offset welded joints of Nb521 to GH3128 superalloy. Compared to previous research results, the

The microstructure, porosity and Vickers hardness of pure W, W - 15% Ta and W - 21% Ta fabricated by Laser Powder Feed Directed Energy Deposition (LPF-DED) in ambient air and inert build environments were studied in this work. Severe microcracking and porosity were observed in all samples when building in ambient air and Ta was selectively oxidized. Under inert atmospheres, pure W was manufactured

High- or medium-entropy alloys with single phase body centered cubic (BCC) structure have attracted significant scientific interests recently, due to their great potentials for biomedical applications. However, BCC high entropy alloys generally do not have good tensile ductility at room temperature. Herein, we utilize the valence electron concentration (VEC) theory to design three (TiZr)90-xNbxTa5Mo5

The unique combination of hardness, toughness, and wear resistance exhibited by heterogeneous hard materials, particularly cemented carbides (WC-Co), has made them preeminent material choices for extremely demanding applications, such as metal cutting/forming tools. The grinding post-processing of WC-Co induces changes in their surface integrity by modifying both constitutive phases through cracking

The influences of different parameters, such as reaction temperature, yttrium (Y) content, and H2 concentration, on the particle size and morphological structure of Mo powder prepared via the H2 reduction of MoO2, were investigated in the work. TG, XRD, FE-SEM, laser particle size analysis, model fitting, and orthogonal design experiment methods were adopted to analyze the reaction kinetic and reduction

WC-Co cemented carbide are widely used in industries for cutting tool due to their excellent hardness, fracture strength and wear resistance, but the high temperature mechanical properties and thermal conductivity limits their application under harsh service conditions. In this research, the effect of VC on microstructure, high-temperature mechanical properties, and thermal conductivity of WC-10Co-0

In this paper, YG8 cemented carbide substrate was treated with Cr ion etching at different bias voltages followed by deposition of TiAlN coating on it based on the cathodic arc technique. The effects of Cr ion etching at different bias voltages on morphology, roughness, elemental composition of the surface of substrate and residual stress, as well as on the growth, microstructure, adhesion and frictional

Compacted graphite iron (CGI) is the preferred material for engines at present. However, in the process of intermittent cutting CGI, the tool is prone to produce thermal cracks, resulting in tool chipping failure. The initiation of thermal crack must be inhibited to solve this problem fundamentally. Therefore, a new idea of designing oblique gradient tool was presented, including selecting appropriate

Tungsten/copper (W/Cu) laminated composites possess high application potential in electronic, aerospace, and nuclear industries by combining the advantages of W and Cu. Among various fabrication methods, the explosive welding method is regarded as one rapid and cost-effective approach to producing W/Cu laminated composites considering the huge differences in physical properties between W and Cu. However

A modified WC-8Co hard alloy was prepared using W-Y2O3 powders as precursor materials. The composite powders was prepared using chemical deposition method and ball milling mixed process. The alloys was prepared using gas pressure sintering process. The microstructure of powders and alloys were characterized. Hardness, toughness and wearing behaviors were tested. The microstructure, composition and

The NbTaTiV-based refractory high-entropy alloys (RHEAs) show promising high-temperature properties and excellent processability. However, achieving ultra-strong strengths while maintaining room-temperature processability is still a challenge. In this work, a new ultra-strong NbTaTiV RHEA reinforced with 0.35 wt% Al2O3 was successfully designed and synthesized. The characteristics of oxides and their

The mechanical properties degradation of cermets under high temperatures greatly limits their applications. In this paper, the compressive yield strength of WC-Co based cermets at high temperatures was significantly improved by the addition of Ru. Based on the detailed microstructure analyses, the contribution of Ru to the plastic deformation of the cermets was disclosed. The addition of Ru would stabilize

Arc-cast Molybdenum samples were exposed to a high temperature (2200–2630 K) hydrogen (H2) environment at ∼1 atm to evaluate their chemical compatibility under extreme temperature conditions; this compatibility information is useful to examining the potential application of Mo-matrix cermets for nuclear thermal propulsion applications. Subscale samples were exposed to 1–2 L/min of flowing H2 with hold

The effect of deformation during warm swaging on mechanical properties of W-Ni-Co alloys was investigated. The alloys, based on 92%W with Ni/Co ratio of 7/3 and 8/2, were processed through liquid phase sintering followed by heat treatment and swaging. Multistep swaging deformation at 400 °C leads to increase in strength at the expense of ductility. For a given deformation, the alloy with 7/3 NiCo shows