Influences of binder phase and post-HIP treatment on tribological behavior of WC-based composite

In this study, WC-12Co and WC-12CoCrMo cemented carbides were prepared by the hot press sintering technique and subsequently post-treated by applying the hot isostatic pressing (HIP) technique. The effects of the binder phase and post-HIP treatment on the microstructures and mechanical and tribological properties of the two cemented carbides were investigated for ambient temperature use. The hardness and wear resistance of WC-12CoCrMo were increased by 87 % and two orders of magnitude compared to WC-12Co, respectively. The post-HIP did not affect the wear mechanism of cemented carbide. The binder phase was the fundamental factor in changing the wear mechanism. Post-HIP is a more viable option to enhance mechanical properties for complex carbide systems, as it promotes solid-state chemical reactions and results in an increased precipitation of secondary phases.