NANOSTRUCTURED W-BASE MATERIALS SYNTHESIS PROCESSING AND PROPERTIES

A new thermochemical processing method for preparing high surface area powders, starting from homogeneous precursor compounds, has been deve loped. The method has been applied successfully to the synthesis of no vel nanostructured W- and WC-base materials. Nanostructured WC-Co powd ers have been consolidated by low pressure plasma spraying and by cold compaction and liquid phase sintering. The use of VC as a grain growt h inhibitor is essential to mitigate the WC grain growth during liquid phase sintering. Theoretically dense VC-doped WC-Co materials display superior hardness, wear resistance and cracking resistance.