Effect of Post-Heat Treatment on the Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of SPS-Processed Cobalt-Free WC–Fe Cemented Carbides
Keywords:
microhardness, microstructure, heat treatment, SPS, WC-FeAbstract
This study investigates the influence of spark plasma sintering (SPS) and subsequent heat treatment on the microstructure, and mechanical properties of cobalt-free WC-Fe cemented carbides. The aim of the work was to evaluate Fe-based binders as a potential alternative to cobalt in tungsten carbide hard alloys while maintaining high structural integrity and mechanical performance. WC-Fe powder mixtures were consolidated by SPS at temperatures of 1250 and 1300℃, followed by post-sintering heat treatment at 700℃ for different holding times. The results showed that increasing the annealing time improved hardness. After SPS at 1250℃, the hardness increased from 12600.1 to 1273±0.45 HV, whereas for samples sintered at 1300℃, the hardness increased from 1510±0.4 to 1525±0.7 HV after 3h of heat treatment. The results show that heat treatment after fusion significantly influences mechanical properties, confirming the potential of Fe binders as a promising substitute for cobalt in WC-based cemented carbides.
References
1. Huang, N.; Guo, S.; Ren, H.; Guo, J.; Li, B.; Zhang, J.; Hu, M. Preparation of V-element-containing Co-based composite powders by spray conversion and its effect on the microstructure properties of cemented carbides. J. Alloys Compd. 2025, 1010, 178273.
2. Zhong, L.; Zhang, X.; Chen, S.; Xu, Y.; Wu, H.; Wang, J. Fe–W–C thermodynamics and in situ preparation of tungsten carbide-reinforced iron-based surface composites by solid-phase diffusion. Int. J. Refract. Met. Hard Mater. 2016, 57, 42–49.
3. Aghaali, V.; Ebadzadeh, T.; Zahraee, S.M.; Mirkazemi, S.M. Microstructure and mechanical properties of WC–TiC–Co cemented carbides produced by spark plasma sintering method. SN Appl. Sci. 2023, 5, 285.
4. Aubakirova, D.; Sagymbekova, E.; Kozhakhmetov, Y.; Dauletkhanov, Y.; Urkunbay, A.; Yerbolat, D.; Tabiyeva, Y. Evolution of the structural and phase composition of Ni–Ti–Cu alloy produced via spark plasma sintering after aging. Crystals 2025, 15, 939.
5. Ren, H.Y.; Guo, S.D.; Huang, N.; Chen, H.; Li, B.; Guo, J.F.; Wang, B.Q. Processing of WC-based hard metals using Co–Cr powders obtained by spray conversion. Ceram. Int. 2025, 51, 15960–15972.
6. Cai, X.; Zhong, L.; Xu, Y.; Li, X.; Liu, M. Microstructure and fracture toughness of a WC–Fe cemented carbide layer produced by a diffusion-controlled reaction. Surf. Coat. Technol. 2019, 357, 784–793.
7. Heydari, D.; Skandani, A.A.; Al Haik, M. Effect of carbon content on carbide morphology and mechanical properties of AR white cast iron with 10–12% tungsten. Mater. Sci. Eng. A 2012, 542, 113–126.
8. Nakonechnyi, S.O.; Yurkova, A.I.; Loboda, P.I. WC-based cemented carbide with NiFeCrWMo high-entropy alloy binder as an alternative to cobalt. Vacuum 2024, 222, 113052.
9. Xiao, Q.; Sun, W.L.; Yang, K.X.; Xing, X.F.; Chen, Z.H.; Zhou, H.N.; Lu, J. Wear mechanisms and micro-evaluation of WC particles in WC–Fe composite coatings fabricated by laser cladding. Surf. Coat. Technol. 2021, 420, 127341.
10. Cao, P.P.; Peng, X.Y.; Hou, S.; Lu, G.Y.; Wang, M.M.; Qiu, L.S.; Liu, Q. Particle size-dependent tribological responses in WC–FeNiCrCu0.5 coatings sprayed by supersonic atmospheric plasma spraying. J. Therm. Spray Technol. 2025, pp. 1–12.
11. Xia, J.; Feng, Y.; Ling, Z.; Wang, K. Influence of WC particle content of Fe-based powder-cored wire on microstructure and properties of plasma cladding reinforced layers. J. Alloys Compd. 2022, 922, 166148.
12. Steinlechner, R.; de Oro Calderon, R.; Koch, T.; Linhardt, P.; Schubert, W.D. A study on WC–Ni cemented carbides: Constitution, alloy compositions and properties, including corrosion behaviour. Int. J. Refract. Met. Hard Mater. 2022, 103, 105750.
13. González, R.; Echeberría, J.; Sánchez, J.M.; Castro, F. WC-(Fe, Ni, C) hardmetals with improved toughness through isothermal heat treatments. J. Mater. Sci. 1995, 30, 3435–3439.
14. Zhang, Y.; Wang, Y.; Su, Y.; Fan, S.; Dai, M.; Lin, S.; Shi, Q. Optimization and evaluation of a three-step pre-treatment process for PCB microdrills. Int. J. Refract. Met. Hard Mater. 2023, 113, 106190.
15. Su, Y.; Wang, Y.; Shi, Q.; Zhang, C.; Lin, S.; Dai, M.; Peng, T. Effect of treatment process on CVD diamond coatings deposited on WC–Co substrate with different Co contents. Diam. Relat. Mater. 2025, 112634.
16. Zhong, L.; Zhang, X.; Wang, X.; Xu, Y.; Wu, H.; Fu, Y. Growth kinetics of WC–Fe layer formed at the surface iron during solid-phase diffusion. Ceram. Int. 2016, 42, 16941–16947.
Downloads
Published
Issue
Section
License
Copyright (c) 2026 International Journal of Energy and Applied Sciences
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.
