Compaction features during sintering VN8M alloy with additives of nanodimensional tungsten carbide

Abstract

Shrinkage curves of alloys formed from the WC–8% Ni hard-alloy mixture activated by introducing 10% nanodimensional WC and charge without the additive in a temperature range of 800–1500°C are presented. The pore structure and microstructure of the samples at various stages of sintering are investigated. The peculiarity of densification of the modified alloy, which consists in the shift of the shrinkage curve into the lower temperature region, is revealed. This makes it possible to lower the temperature of the vacuumcompression sintering of alloy, form a finer grain structure, and attain high characteristics of hardness–wear resistance without worsening the strength characteristics. Physicomechanical properties and microstructure of compression-sintered samples made of VN8M activated alloy and standard VN8 alloy without additives are investigated.