Effect of WC content on the microstructure and mechanical properties of Ti(C0.5N0.5)–WC–Mo–Ni cermets

Ti(C0.5N0.5)–xWC–Mo–Ni system cermets were studied to investigate the effect of WC content on the microstructure and mechanical properties. The results showed that the lattice constant of Ti(C,N) hard phase in the Ti(C0.5N0.5)–WC–Mo–Ni system increases with the increase of WC content, but it is smaller than that in Ti(C0.7N0.3)–WC–Ni system. The microstructures of the cermets exhibit three kinds of grains: one has black core-grey rim structure, the second has white core-grey rim structure and the third has black core-white rim structure. The thickness of inner rim increases with the increasing of WC content. Additionally, the particle size of black core decreases with the increase of WC content in the range of 0–10 wt.%, and then increases slightly with further increase of WC. The TRS increases with the increase of WC content, but hardness decreases with the increase of WC content.