Influences of Cr contents on oxidation behavior of WC-Co-Ni-Cr cemented carbides at 900 C

Modification of binder composition is an effective way to improve the oxidation resistance of WC-Co-Ni-Cr cemented carbide. Since the adjustment of Ni and Cr contents in the Co-Ni-Cr binder alters the oxidation behavior and oxidation products, WC-Co-Ni-Cr cemented carbide is expected to achieve excellent oxidation resistance in severe service conditions. In this paper, the influences of Cr contents in Co-Ni-Cr binder phase with a fixed total amount of Co and Ni on the oxidation behavior of WC-Co-Ni-Cr cemented carbides at 900 degrees C was investigated. The oxide morphology and phase distribution were focused. The oxidation mechanism of WC-CoNi-Cr cemented carbide was discussed. It has been shown that Co-rich regions are preferentially oxidized in the initial stage of oxidation. As oxidation proceeds (60 min), the dominant oxidation product on the alloy surface is NiO. The oxidation resistance of the WC-Co-Ni-Cr cemented carbide increases with increasing Cr content in the binder. Compared to the series of WC-2Co-11Ni-xCr, WC-6.5Co-6.5Ni-xCr presents a better overall oxidation resistance due to the formation of Cr2O5 in the middle of the oxide layer.