SYNTHESIS AND STRUCTURAL EVOLUTION OF TUNGSTEN CARBIDE PREPARED BY BALL-MILLING

Tungsten carbide has been synthesized directly by ball-milling tungste n powder and activated carbon in vacuum. The structural development of the WC phase with milling times up to 310 h has been followed using X -ray, neutron diffraction and scanning electron microscopy. Subsequent annealing (at 1000 degrees C for 1 and 20 h) of material milled for 9 0 h or longer, results in samples comprising almost entirely crystalli ne WC. The production of WC itself during milling results in enhanced iron contamination from the steel mill and balls on extended milling w hich were monitored by energy-dispersive X-ray and Mossbauer spectrosc opies.