Fabrication and mechanical properties of WC-10 wt.% Co hard materials for a friction stir welding tool application by a spark plasma sintering process

Using the spark plasma sintering process (SPS process), WC-10 wt.%Co hard materials were densified using an ultra fine WC-Co powder. The WC-Co was almost completely dense with a relative density of up to 100% after the simultaneous application of a pressure of 60 MPa and an electric current for 12 minutes almost without any significant change in the grain size. The average grain size of WC that was produced through SPS was about 0.5 similar to 0.7 mu m. The hardness and fracture toughness at 1200. C were about 2068.38 kg/mm(2) and 10.21 MPam(1/2), respectively. The WC-10 wt.%Co sintered-body was used to give shape to a concave-styled Friction stir weld (FSW) tool. This tool was used to successfully weld mild steel by FSW (SS400). The mechanical properties (micro-hardness, tensile strength, and impact toughness) of the welded mild steel were investigated.