Phase Compatibility in Alfeconicrti / Wc-W2c Composite Produced by Spark Plasma Sintering

Thermodynamic, kinetic, and thermomechanical compatibilities of WC-W 2 C/10 wt.% AlFeCoNiCrTi composite were studied. The thermodynamic compatibility of the composite constituents was evaluated by spark plasma sintering at different temperatures (1200–1500 °С). It was found that a diffusion layer of (Fe, Co, Ni, Cr) x W y C z phase formed after sintering at 1200–1300 °С, while at temperatures of 1400–1500 °С, the complex carbide is additionally saturated with titanium atoms forming (Fe, Co, Ni, Cr, Ti) x W y C z . The controlled processes of kinetic interaction between composite phases occur during annealing of the samples at 1100 °C for 30, 60, and 120 min. The limited solubility and time-controlled diffusion processes indicate the thermodynamic and kinetic compatibilities of the phases in composite WC-W 2 C/10 wt.% AlFeCoNiCrTi. Whereas, the uncontrolled chemical interactions occur at the interfaces during liquid phase sintering at temperatures higher than 1300 o C, indicating unsatisfactory thermodynamic compatibility between the components. The thermo-mechanical compatibility was evaluated by measuring the CTE of AlFeCoNiCrTi and WC-W 2 C, which was found to be 12 × 10 -6 K -1 and ~ 9.5 × 10 -6 K -1 , respectively.