Tailored sintering of VC-doped WC–Co cemented carbides by pulsed electric current sintering

WC–12 wt.% Co powder mixtures with 0, 0.45 or 0.9 wt.% VC additions were consolidated by solid state pulsed electric current sintering (PECS) for 2 min at 1080–1240 °C. The influence of the sintering condition and VC concentration on the densification, WC grain growth and mechanical properties of the cemented carbides were investigated. Finite element simulation revealed that the radial temperature gradient inside the sintering powder compacts could be homogenised using a carbon felt insulation surrounding the graphite die set-up.