Reactive spark plasma sintering of binderless WC ceramics at 1500 °C

•Binderless WC ceramics were prepared by a reactive spark plasma sintering.•WC ceramics could be obtained after reactive sintering at 1500 °C.•WC ceramics exhibit a good hardness.

Binderless WC ceramics were prepared by reactive spark plasma sintering, using tungsten trioxide, tungsten and carbon black as the starting materials. Phase assemblages and microstructure of the as-sintered ceramics were investigated. It was found that graphite existed as an impurity phase due to the volatilization of WO3, and W could compensate for the WO3 loss to form WC with a single phase. Benefiting from the enhanced sinterability, WC ceramics with high relative density and good hardness could be obtained at temperature as low as 1500 °C.