Performance of carbide composites in cyclic loading wear conditions

Performance in cyclic loading wear conditions – results of the functional testing in the blanking of sheet metal and fatigue bending tests – of an advanced TiC-based cermet and that of WC-based hardmetal (used in metalforming) were compared. Additionally adhesive wear resistance was tested, complemented by SEM and XRD studies. Reasonable correlation between the blanking performance of the carbide composite (hardmetal, cermet) and their adhesive wear resistance was found. The superiority of the advanced TiC-based cermet over the hardmetal (at similar volume fraction of carbides) was revealed. The higher blanking performance of the TiC-based cermet results from its higher adhesive wear resistance and its lower fatigue sensitivity.

► Carbide composites performance in cyclic loading wear (blanking) conditions.
► Correlation between blanking performance and adhesive wear.
► Resistance to fatigue failure is characterized by fatigue sensitivity.
► The failure is preceded by local plastic strain in both phases of composite.
► Embrittlement takes place during cyclic loading (blanking, fatigue).