Properties: high mechanical resistance, high melting point
Application: surface hardening to increase wear resistance
tungsten carbide
Tungsten carbide is a widely used and important chemical compound composed of tungsten and carbon atoms. The percentage of tungsten and carbon atoms in this chemical composition is completely equal, and it is normally powdery and gray in color. This material has the chemical formula of WC and it can be transformed into various forms through the process of sintering and under very high pressure. It should be noted that the strength and density of tungsten carbide is twice that of steel and its Young’s modulus is about 500 to 700 GPa. Therefore, this material is used in many industrial equipments, especially cutting tools and equipment.
The density of tungsten carbide is 15.63 grams per cubic centimeter and it is almost between lead and gold in terms of density. Its hardness can also be compared with corundum. The melting temperature of this material is between 2790 and 2830 degrees Celsius and its boiling temperature is 6000 degrees Celsius. This material is very durable and even more durable than palladium, silver and gold.
Regarding the structure of this material, it should be said that it has two hexagonal structures and also a cubic structure. Its cubic structure is similar to that of rock salt, and its hexagonal structure is similar to a simple hexagonal crystal lattice in which metal atoms are arranged in parallel layers.
Tungsten carbide production methods
In general, tungsten carbide can be produced by various methods, one of the most important and common methods of its production is through the reaction of tungsten metal at a temperature between 1400 and 2000 degrees Celsius. Other common methods of producing this material include heating tungsten oxide in the vicinity of graphite at a temperature of 900 degrees Celsius and in the vicinity of hydrogen at a temperature of 670 degrees Celsius, as well as combining them with carbon in argon at a temperature of 1000 degrees Celsius.
tungsten carbide
Applications of tungsten carbide
Due to its high density and strength, tungsten carbide has very wide applications in the industry, among which the following can be mentioned:
Used in making all kinds of industrial machines
Used in making all kinds of cutting tools for machining industries
Used in making all kinds of abrasives
Used in the manufacture of war ammunition and military equipment
Used in the construction of mining industry equipment
Used in the construction of drilling equipment
Used in the medical industry to make surgical equipment
Used in jewelry making
Used in the defense industry
Used to make all kinds of molds
Used to cover all kinds of metals
Used in the aerospace industry
Used to produce carat and polishing paste
Used to make all kinds of ingots and blocks
And…
It should be noted that with the advancement of technology and the combination of this substance with other chemicals, we will see an increase in its use. Currently, this material is widely used in the military and defense industries, and its most common use is in the armor coating defense tool.
tungsten carbide
Physical and chemical properties
Tungsten carbide has many physical and chemical properties, and this has also increased its applications in various industries. Among the most important physical and chemical properties of this material are:
Having very high acid resistance
Having a very high melting point and boiling point
Having a thermal conductivity of 110 W/m.k
It has a thermal elongation coefficient of 5 micrometers/meters in Kelvin
Very hard
Having very low porosity
Having low vibration
Having low electrical resistance
The possibility of combining with molten cobalt and nickel (as an alloy)
Having a very high resistance to wear
Very resistant to high heat
And…
The oxidation process of this material usually takes place at a temperature between 500 and 600 degrees Celsius, and its corrosion will only occur at a very high temperature with a combination of nitric acid and hydrofluoric acid.
Introduction of tungsten carbide family products
Tungsten carbide is combined with some materials and the resulting compounds are used as tungsten carbide family products for various applications such as cutting and abrasive composites or as binders. Among the most famous products of the tungsten carbide family, the following products can be mentioned:
Tungsten-barium carbide
Tungsten-nickel carbide
Tungsten-chromium carbide
Tungsten-copper carbide
Granular Tungsten Carbide
Cemented carbide
And…
Today, with the use of modern technology and the use of tungsten carbide nanoparticles, we are witnessing the expansion of the applications of this material in various industries.
