Processing and wear of cast MMCs with cemented carbide scrap

• MMC using cemented carbide scrap, which is a cost efficient hard phase alternative, can be produced by casting.
• Using optimised casting parameters dissolution of cemented carbide scrap is low and bonding with the matrix is good.
• Optimised parameters involve that cemented carbide scrap is as short as possible in the liquid melt, still good flux of the melt must be guaranteed.
• Abrasive wear tests show excellent performance of MMCs with cemented carbide scrap.
• The investigated MMCs are competitive to expensive wear protection solutions in abrasive environment also at 500 °C testing temperature.

Multiphase metal matrix composites (MMCs) which consist of recycled cemented carbide scrap and iron based matrices were produced, using different casting procedures, optimising the wear behaviour of these MMCs. The abrasive wear resistance of the MMCs was compared to different established materials for wear protection. Low stress abrasion tests were performed at room temperature and high stress abrasion tests at 500 °C to characterise their wear behaviour at different stress and temperature levels. The manufactured composites show promising microstructural features with low level of dissolution effects and good metallurgical bonding of hard phases. Wear results point out that the developed cast MMCs show much better abrasion resistance than existing commercial wear resistant steels and are competitive to established wear resistant hardfacings at ambient and elevated temperature levels.