Enhancing Mechanical and Tribological Properties of Tungsten Carbide via Dynamic Sinter Forging at Varied Oscillating Frequency
摘要
Dynamic sinter forging (DSF) has been established as an effective method for fabricating high-performance tungsten carbide (WC). However, the correlation of process parameters with material properties has not been thoroughly investigated. In this study, the influence of oscillating frequency on the microstructures and the mechanical and tribological properties of WC have been investigated. The results reveal that a low oscillating frequency is beneficial for the microstructural optimization and enhances mechanical and tribological properties. Samples processed at an oscillating frequency of 0.5 Hz exhibit the highest relative density (99.6%), dislocation density (2.63 × 1015/m2), and Σ2 grain boundary fraction (23%), thereby achieving an exceptional combination of a high hardness of 26.35 GPa, a high fracture toughness of 6.53 MPa m½, and a low wear rate of 2.63 × 10−7 mm3/N/m. Compared with samples processed at a static pressure, the 0.50-Hz condition yields a 6% improvements in hardness, an 8% enhancement in fracture toughness, and a 13% reduction in wear rate. The enhancement in mechanical performance is primarily attributed to the introduction of high-density and uniformly distributed dislocations, which simultaneously improve the plastic deformation capability and deformation resistance of WC, effectively suppressing crack initiation and propagation. The study demonstrates that DSF combined with regulation of oscillating frequency can effectively enhance the performance of WC.