• Proceedings of the Korean Powder Metallurgy Institute Conference
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• 2004.11a
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• pp.98-99
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• 2004

(1) Using high-frequency induction heating sintering and spark plasma sintering method, the densification of WC-Ni hard materials was accomplished using ultra fine power of Ni and WC. (2) Nearly fully dense WC-Ni could be obtained within 1 min. (3) Relative density and mechanical properties of WC-Ni obtained by HFIHS were high than those obtained by SPS. And WC grain size made by HFIHS was smaller than that made by SPS. (4) The fracture toughness and hardness values of WC-8Ni, WC-10Ni, and WC-12Ni made by HFIHS were $13MPa{\cdot}m^{1/2}\;and\;1950kg/mm^2,\;13.5Mpa{\cdot}m^{1/2}\;and\;1810kg/mm^2,\;14.4MPa{\cdot}m^{1/2}\;and\;1690kg/mm^2$, respectively for 60MPa and an induced current for 90% output of total capacity, 15KW. (5) The fracture toughness and hardness values of WC-8Ni, WC-10Ni, and WC-12Ni made by SPS were $12.2MPa{\cdot}m^{1/2}\;and\;1796kg/mm^2,\;12.9MPa{\cdot}m^{1/2}\;and\;1725kg/mm^2,\;13.6MPa{\cdot}m^{1/2}\;and\;1597kg/mm^2$, respectively for 60MPa and the electric current of 2500 A

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.6 no.1
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• pp.88-95
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• 1999

The purpose of this study is to investigate the manufacturing feasibility of WC-Co milling inserts via Powder Injection Molding (PIM) process. WC-Co is used in a wide variety of cutting tools due to its high hardness, stiffness, compressive strength and wear resistance properties. WC-Co parts for a high stress application were conventionally produced by the press and sinter method, which were Iimited to 2 dimensional shapes. Manufacturing WC-Co parts for a high stress application by PIM implies that tool efficiency can be highly improved due to increased freedom is design. P30 grade WC powder (WC-Co-TiC-TaC system) was mixed with RIST-5B133 binder and injection molded into milling inserts (Taegu Tech. Model WCMX 06T 308). The mean grain size of the powder was about 0.8$\mu$m. Injection molded specimens were debound by solvent extraction and thermal degradation method at various conditions. The specimens were sintered at 140$0^{\circ}C$ for 1 hr in vacuum. Carbon content, weight loss, dimensional change, and macro defects of the specimen were carefully monitored at each stage of the PIM process. PIMed WC-Co milling inserts reached 100% full density after sinteing. Its mechanical properties and micro-structures were comparable with the press and sintered milling insert. Carbon content of the sintered WC-Co insert was mainly determained by the atmosphere of thermal debinding. By controlling powder loading and injection molding condition, dimensional accuracy could be obtained within 0.4%. We confirm that PIM can not only be an alternative manufacturing method for WC-Co parts economically but also provide a design freedom for more effieient cutting tools.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.10 no.2
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• pp.108-117
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• 2003

WC and dense WC-10 vol%Co materials with grain size of~1${\mu}m$ were synthesized by high-frequency induction heated combustion synthesis (HFIHCS) method in one step from elemental powders of W, C and Co within several minutes. Simultaneous combustion synthesis and densification were accomplished under the combined effects of an induced current and mechanical pressure. In the absence of cobalt additive, WC can be formed, but its relative density was low (about 73%) under simultaneous application of a 60 MPa pressure and the induced current. However, in the presence of 10 vol.%Co, the relative density increased to 99% under the same experimental condition. The percentages of the total shrinkage occurring before and during the synthesis reaction of WC-10 vol.%Co were 5% and 51%, respectively. The fracture toughness and hardness values of WC-10 vol.%Co were 10 MPa . m$^{1/2}$ and 1840 kg/$mm^2$, respectively.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.50 no.12
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• pp.921-929
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• 2012

The pulsed current activated sintering method (PCAS) is a new rapid sintering method that was developed recently for fabricating ceramics and composites. This method combines a high temperature for a short time with pressure application. In this work, PCAS was used to fabricate $WC-5wt%Mo_2C-5wt%$ Co hard material using WC, $Mo_2C$, and Co. The $WC-Mo_2C-Co$ was almost completely dense with a relative density of up to 100% after the simultaneous application of a pressure of 60 MPa and electric current for 11 min without grain growth. The average grain size of WC that was produced through PCAS was about $0.5-0.6{\mu}m$. The vickers hardness and fracture toughness of the $WC-5wt%Mo_2C-5wt%$Co hard materials were about $2453.5kg/mm^2$ and $7.9MPa{\cdot}m^{1/2}$, respectively, for 60 MPa at $11200^{\circ}C$.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.9 no.3
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• pp.174-181
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• 2002

Nanosized tungsten carbide powders were synthesized by the chemical vapor condensation(CVC) process using the pyrolysis of tungsten hexacarbonyl($W(CO)_6$). The effect of CVC parameters on the formation and the microstructural change of as-prepared powders were studied by XRD, BET and TEM. The loosely agglomerated nanosized tungsten-carbide($WC_{1-x}$) particles having the smooth rounded tetragonal shape could be obtained below $1000^{\circ}C$ in argon and air atmosphere respectively. The grain size of powders was decreased from 53 nm to 28 nm with increasing reaction temperature. The increase of particle size with reaction temperature represented that the condensation of precursor vapor dominated the powder formation in CVC reactor. The powder prepared at $1000^{\circ}C$ was consisted of the pure W and cubic tungsten-carbide ($WC_{1-x}$), and their surfaces had irregular shape because the pure W was formed on the $WC_{1-x}$ powders. The $WC_{1-x}$ and W powders having the average particles size of about 5 nm were produced in vacuum.

• Proceedings of the Korean Society of Precision Engineering Conference
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• 2006.05a
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• pp.13-14
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• 2006

The quality of tool material is very important factor in machining evaluation. The characteristics of tungsten carbide, such as grain size and hardness, and density are depending on the variation of Co composition and WC size. In this study, the non-coated end mill which is made of ultra-fine tungsten carbide is investigated by measuring tool wear and tool lift test. The machining test is conducted with high hardened workpiece under high-speed cutting condition.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.15 no.5
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• pp.359-364
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• 2008

To satisfy the demand of higher cutting performance, mechanical properties with tungsten carbide (WC-Co) tool materials were investigated. Hardness and transverse rupture strength with WC grain size, Co content and density were measured. Compared to H, K, and S manufacture maker as tungsten carbide (WC-Co) tool materials were used for high-speed machining of end-milling operation. The three tungsten carbide (WC-Co) tool materials were evaluated by cutting of STD 11 cold-worked die steel (HRC25) under high-speed cutting condition. Also, tool life was obtained from measuring flank wear by CCD wear measuring system. Tool dynamometer was used to measure cutting force. The cutting force and tool wear are discussed along with tool material characteristics. Consequently, the end-mill of K, H manufacture maker showed higher wear-resistance due to its higher hardness, while the S maker endmill tool showed better performance for high metal removal.

• Korean Journal of Metals and Materials
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• v.48 no.11
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• pp.1009-1013
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• 2010

Extremely dense WC with a relative density of up to 99% was obtained within five minutes under a pressure of 80 MPa using the High-Frequency Induction Heated Sintering method. The average grain size of the WC was about 71 nm. The advantage of this process is not only rapid densification to obtain a neartheoretical density but also the prohibition of grain growth in nano-structured materials. The hardness and fracture toughness of the dense WC produced by HFIHS were $2660kg{\cdot}mm^{-2}$ and $7.2MPa{\cdot}m^{1/2}$, respectively.

• Journal of Powder Materials
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• v.1 no.2
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• pp.119-198
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• 1994

The characteristics of various important microstructural factors of WC-base hard- metals (cemented carbides) such as the amount of Co metal binder phase, the carbide grain size, the microstructural defects acting as a fracture source, the solid solubility of tungsten in the binder phase affected by the carbon content, the precipitation of $Co_3W$, the domain size of binder phase, the formation of ${\beta}-free$ layer or Co-rich layer and CVD or PVD coated layer, and the effects of these factors on the flexural strength of the hardmetals are reviewed.

• Journal of the Korean Society for Heat Treatment
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• v.36 no.4
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• pp.206-214
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• 2023

Tungsten carbide has many industrial applications due to its high electrical and thermal conductivity, high melting temperature, high hardness and good chemical stability. Because tungsten carbide is difficult to sinter, it is sintered with nickel or cobalt as a binder and is currently used in nozzles, cutting tools, and molds. Alumina is reported to be a viable binder for tungsten carbide due to its higher oxidation resistance and lower cost than nickel and cobalt. The ultrafine tungsten carbide-graphene-alumina composites were rapidly sintered in a high frequency induction heating active sintering unit. The microstructure and mechanical properties (fracture toughness and hardness) of the composites were investigated and analyzed by Vickers hardness tester and electron microscope. Since the high-frequency induction heating sintering method enables high-speed sintering, ultrafine composites can be prepared by preventing grain growth. In the tungsten carbide-graphene-alumina composites, the grain size of tungsten carbide increased with the amount of alumina participation. The hardness and fracture toughness of the tungsten carbide-5% graphene- x% alumina (x = 0, 5, 10,15) composites were 5.1, 8.6, 8.6, and 8.4 MPa-m^1/2 and 2384, 2168, 2165, and 2102 kg/mm², respectively. The fracture toughness increased without a significant decrease in hardness. Sinterability was improved by adding alumina to tungsten carbide-graphene.