Study of the Microstructure and Phase-Composition of a WC-Alloy with a Hadfield Steel Binder

The phase composition and structure of a tungsten carbide alloy with a Hadfield steel binder are studied using metallography, x-ray diffraction analysis, and transmission electron microscopy. It is found that tungsten carbide is dissolved in the binder during sintering. This gives rise to a nonuniform distribution of the alloying additions in the -solid solution, which results in precipitation of complex carbides of the (W, Fe) _x C type having different crystal-lattice parameters. The volume fraction of these carbides is as high as 9–10%.