Sub-micron binderless tungsten carbide sintering behavior under high pressure and high temperature

Pure tungsten carbide (WC) compacts of about 200 nm grain size were prepared by high pressure and high temperature (HPHT) method. The best property sample with high relative density (99.2%), high Vickers hardness (2925 kg·mm− 2) and high fracture toughness (8.9 MPa·m1/2) was obtained in the condition of 1500 °C temperature and 5 GPa pressure. By means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) observations, a large number of twins and stacking faults appeared in sintered samples, and the grain size of sintered samples maintained in the initial range. The XRD patterns of bulk samples reveal that there is a phase transition from WC to W2C with the increasing of temperature. Moreover, the effect of HPHT condition for sintering kinetics, microstructure evolutions, and mechanical properties of the sintered samples were also discussed.