Jan 7 2004
Background
Tungsten Carbide is a hard, brittle ceramic which, when combined with 6% to 10% Cobalt, forms a tough Cermet (Ceramic-Metal).
This material was developed for use in cutting tools, having hard ceramic crystals of a few microns in size within a ductile metal matrix. The resulting material can withstand the high compressive stresses imposed during cutting, as well as having good wear and oxidation resistance at the high temperatures reached.
Tungsten Carbide has a high resistance to thermal shock, so is able to withstand the rapid temperature fluctuations. Also, Tungsten Carbide has found a use as electrodes for Electrode Discharge Machining.
Key Properties
The key properties of Tungsten Carbide are tabulated below.
Table 1. Key properties
| Electrical Properties |
| Volume resistivity ( Ohm.cm ) |
2x10-6 @ 25 °C |
| Mechanical Properties |
| Compressive strength ( MPa ) |
5300-7000 |
| Hardness - Vickers ( kgf.mm-2 ) |
1550 |
| Tensile modulus ( GPa ) |
600 |
| Tensile strength ( MPa ) |
1440 |
| Physical Properties |
| Density ( g.cm-3 ) |
14.95 |
| Thermal Properties |
| Coefficient of thermal expansion ( x10-6 K-1 ) |
4.6-5.0 @ 20-1000 °C |
| Specific heat ( J.K-1.kg-1 ) |
200-480 @ 25 °C |
| Thermal conductivity ( W.m-1.K-1 ) |
60-80 @ 20 °C |
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