A Study On Synthesis of Nanostructured WC/Co composite Powders by Mechanochemical process

기계화학적방법에 의한 나노구조 WC/Co 복합 분말의 제조에 관한 연구

A new approach to produce nanostructured WC/Co composite powders by a mechanochemical process was made to improve the mechanical properties of advanced hardmetals. Homogeneous spherical W-Co salt powders were made by spray drying of aqueous solution from ammonium metatungstate($(NH_4)_6(H_2W_{12}O_{40})\cdo4H_2O$,AMT) and cobalt nitrate hexahydrate (Co(NO$_3$)$_2$.6$H_2O$). spray dried W-Co salt powders were calcined for 1 hr at $700^{\circ}C$ in atmosphere of air. The oxide powder was mixed with carbon black by ball milling and this mixture was heated with various temperatures and times in $H_2$. The $WO_3/CoWO_4$ composite oxide powders were obtained by calcinations at $700^{\circ}C$. The primary particle size of W/Co composite oxide powders by SEM was 100 nm. The reduction/carburization time decreased with increasing temperatures and carbon additions. The average size of WC particle carburized at $800^{\circ}C$ by TEM was smaller than 50 nm.