Grain and phase boundary segregation in WC–Co with small V, Cr or Mn additions

The effect of small additions of V, Cr or Mn on the microchemistry of interfaces in WC–Co was studied using energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy in a transmission electron microscope and using atom probe tomography. For WC/binder phase boundaries, segregation of V, Cr and Mn was observed, with V being the element with the largest tendency for segregation. Segregation to WC/WC grain boundaries was observed in all the materials, corresponding to half a monolayer of close packed Co. In the materials containing V or Cr, 1/3 of the Co atoms were replaced by V or Cr. In the material containing Mn, 7% of the Co atoms were replaced by Mn. Co segregation was also observed to a WC/(V, W)Cx phase boundary in the material containing V.