Effect of Sintering Techniques on Mechanical Properties of WC-FeAl Composites

In this paper, the authors represent the mechanical properties of WC-FeAl composite fabricated with two sintering techniques. The WC-FeAl composite often is obtained through liquid-phase sintering process by conventional vacuum sintering technique. Contrary, the use of pulse current sintering techniques enables to density the WC-FeAl composite at a temperature lower than that of FeAl liquid phase formation. That difference of sintering temperature results in crucial difference of the microstructure of the composites. Fine WC grains and small FeAl phases are observed in the composite fabricated from the pulse current sintering technique, whereas some WC grain growth and huge FeAl phases are observed from the sample of vacuum sintering technique. As a result, superior mechanical properties such as Vickers hardness and bending strength are obtained from the samples of the pulse current sintering technique in the WC-FeAl system.