Effect of yttrium oxide addition on the microstructure and mechanical properties of WC–ni composites fabricated from recycled WC and Ni

Figures & data

Figure 1. Recycling process of hardmetal sludge and waste Ni for the preparation of WC and Ni powders.

Figure 2. Variation of phase fractions according to carbon loss compared to the chemical equivalent amount of carbon (5.52 wt.%) of the WC–10 wt.%Ni composite.

Figure 3. Schematic of the microstructure evolution during sintering of WC – Ni – Y₂O₃ composites.

Figure 4. XRD patterns of WC – Ni – Y₂O₃ composites fabricated by (a) SPS at 1200°C for 5 min and (b) PVS at 1400°C for 1 h.

Table 1. Carbon content in the sintered WC–Ni with Y₂O₃ and intensity ratios of the main peaks of the eta phase/WC and the (Ni,w)/wc.

	Amount of added Y2O3 in WC – Ni
	0%	1.0%	1.5%	2.0%
Carbon content (wt.%)	5.08	5.05	4.99	4.95
I(Ni,W)/IWC	0.076	0.15	0.22	0.29
INi2W4C/IWC	0.29	0.58	0.51	0.94

Figure 5. FE-SEM micrographs of sintered bodies of (a) unmilled WC–Ni, (b)milled WC–Ni, (c) milled WC – Ni–1%Y₂O₃,(d) milled WC – Ni–1.5%Y₂O₃, and (e) milledWC – Ni–2%Y₂O₃ after PVS at 1400°C for 1 h.

Figure 6. FE-TEM micrographs and EDS mapping of WC–Ni with Y₂O₃after PVS at 1400°C.

Figure 7. (a) Vickers hardness and (b) fracture toughness of the WC – metal composites with different WC grain sizes and metallic binder [10,11,14–17].

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Data availability statement

Data will be made available on request.