Influence of sintering temperature on microstructure and mechanical properties of WC-8Ni cemented carbide produced by vacuum sintering

The WC-8Ni powder was prepared by the ball milling method, then consolidated via a vacuum sintering technique. The influence of sintering temperature varying from 1375 °C up to 1500 °C on microstructure and mechanical properties of WC-8Ni cemented carbide was investigated. The best mechanical properties of the samples have been achieved at sintering temperature of 1450 °C. At which the relative density, hardness and fracture toughness (KIC) of the samples are 99.81%, 13.23 GPa and 24.22 MPa m1/2, respectively. The effect of η-phase identified by Murakami etching method and XRD technique on the mechanical properties was also discussed.