Contribution of the Interface Energies to the Growth Process of Cemented Carbides WC-Co

The driving forces and the probable processes of WC-Co grain growth are reanalysed from recent data of interface energy and microstructure. Grain growth is driven by the disappearing of the high energy WC/WC and WC/Co interfaces with habit planes different from {0001}, ${10\bar{1}0}$ and ${11\bar{2}0}$ facets and by the area decrease of the WC/WC and WC/Co interfaces with {0001} and ${10\bar{1}0}$ habit planes. Grain growth mainly results of dissolution-precipitation. Abnormal grains are likely formed by defects assisted nucleation.