Effect of high energy milling on the morphology and compressibility of WC-Ni composite powder

The purpose of this work is to analyze the effect of high energy milling on the morphology, particle size and compressibility of WC-Ni composite. The hard metal is a composite material used in several areas of machining, mining and construction and can be applied directly to components of drilling equipment for oil and gas. The milling of hard metal WC-20Ni, from the WC and Ni powders, was performed for milling times of 1, 2, 4, 8, 16, 32 and 64 hours. Scanning electron microscopy and laser granulometry were used to follow the influence of milling time on the microstructure. This evaluation allowed to observe the morphological behavior and interaction between the components of the material produced. The results show that the milling time produces a reduction of particle size followed by particle agglomeration with sizes smaller than the components used in the preparation of composites.