NANOSTRUCTURED W-BASE MATERIALS SYNTHESIS PROCESSING AND PROPERTIES

A new thermochemical processing method for preparing high surface area powders, starting from homogeneous precursor compounds, has been developed. The method has been applied successfully to the synthesis of novel nanostructured W- and WC-base materials. Nanostructured WC-Co powders have been consolidated by low pressure plasma spraying and by cold compaction and liquid phase sintering. The use of VC as a grain growth inhibitor is essential to mitigate the WC grain growth during liquid phase sintering. Theoretically dense VC-doped WC-Co materials display superior hardness, wear resistance and cracking resistance.