Microstructure and properties of ZrC–W composite fabricated by reactive infiltration of Zr2Cu into WC/W preform

•ZrC–W composite was successfully fabricated by reactive infiltration WC/W perform.•The room mechanical properties of the reactively infiltrated composite were measured.•The toughening mechanism was crack deflection and crack bridging.

Dense ZrC–W composite with 55.3 vol% ZrC and 44.7 vol% W was fabricated by reactive infiltration of molten Zr2Cu alloy into porous and rigid WC/W preform at low temperature (1300 °C) in vacuum. The liquid Zr2Cu alloy spontaneously infiltrated into the porous preform and underwent a displacement reaction with WC to fully form ZrC–W composite by substituting WC preform to WC/W perform. The formed ZrC–W composite had a flexural strength of 489 MPa, a Vickers hardness of 8.3 GPa, a Young's modulus of 352 GPa, and a fracture toughness of 9.8 MPa m1/2, which was two times higher than monoclinic ZrC.