WC Cemented Carbide Thermal Conductivity via Copper Alloying
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Solution Overview
Problem
The challenge is to enhance the thermal conductivity of WC-based cemented carbide while maintaining high abrasion resistance, particularly when the content of the metallic bonding phase is increased, which typically leads to a decrease in thermal conductivity.
Innovation Solution
The solution involves adding copper (Cu) to the WC-based cemented carbide powder, optimizing the component ratio of Cu to the metallic bonding phase (Co, Fe, or Cr), and employing an additive manufacturing method to create a WC-based cemented carbide member with enhanced thermal conductivity and abrasion resistance.
Engineering Contradictions & Design Principles
Engineering Contradiction Analysis
1Strength
If the content of the metallic bonding phase is increased to enhance toughness, then abrasion resistance is improved, but thermal conductivity decreases
Solution Approach 1:
The patent changes the chemical composition parameters of the metallic bonding phase by adding copper (0.1-25 mass%) to the conventional Co-Fe-Cr system. This parameter change modifies the phase structure and thermal transport properties, enabling high thermal conductivity even with high metallic bonding phase content (25-60 mass%). The copper addition creates a new bonding phase composition that simultaneously provides toughness and thermal conductivity.
Solution Approach 2:
The patent creates a composite metallic bonding phase consisting of multiple elements (Co, Fe, Cr, and Cu) that work synergistically. The copper forms a distinct phase or solid solution within the bonding phase matrix, creating a composite structure that combines the toughness-providing metallic bonds with the high thermal conductivity of copper, thereby resolving the contradiction between toughness and thermal conductivity.
2Ease of manufacture
If conventional liquid phase sintering method is used to shape the cemented carbide, then manufacturing simplicity is maintained, but deformation occurs due to the weight of the workpiece and cooling water channels are deformed
Solution Approach 1:
The patent replaces the conventional liquid phase sintering process with additive manufacturing technology. This substitution eliminates the need for high-pressure sintering that causes deformation under gravity. The additive manufacturing process builds the component layer by layer with precise control, maintaining complex cooling water channel geometries without deformation, while still achieving dense consolidation of the cemented carbide particles.
3Manufacturing precision
If additive manufacturing method is used to shape the cemented carbide, then complicated internal cooling water channel structure can be formed and deformation is reduced, but thermal conductivity is insufficient when high content of metallic bonding phase is used
Solution Approach 1:
The patent addresses the thermal conductivity issue in additive manufactured cemented carbide by modifying the metallic bonding phase composition to include copper (0.1-25 mass%). This compositional parameter change compensates for the thermal conductivity reduction that would otherwise occur with high metallic bonding phase content, enabling the additive manufactured part to achieve both complex geometry and high thermal conductivity (>40 W/(m·K)).
Applied Scientific Principles
This section explains which scientific principles are used to turn an abstract innovation direction into a practical engineering solution.
Function Achieved in This Case
This approach results in a WC-based cemented carbide member with thermal conductivity exceeding 40 W/(m·K) and Vickers hardness of at least 500 HV, effectively addressing the need for both high thermal conductivity and abrasion resistance.
Implementation Method 1
Cu which is high in thermal conductivity is added to the WC-based cemented carbide
Implementation Method 2
a metallic powder raw material is locally melted and solidified and this is repeated to manufacture a three dimensional shaped body
Implementation Method 3
locally melted and solidified
Implementation Method 4
Vickers hardness of at least 500 HV
Data Source
Figure 1A~1B
Figure 1C
Figure 2~3
AI summary
Provided are a WC-based cemented carbide powder from which a WC-based cemented carbide member excellent in high thermal conductivity and high abrasion resistance can be manufactured, a WC-based cemented carbide member, and a manufacturing method for a WC-based cemented carbide member. The WC-based cemented carbide powder of the present invention includes WC, Cu, and at least one of Co, Fe, and Cr. The content of WC is equal to or more than 40 mass%, the content of at least one of Co, Fe, and Cr is equal to or more than 25 mass% and less than 60 mass%, and the ratio a/b of the content 'a' of Cu and the content 'b' of at least one of Co, Fe, and Cr satisfies 0.070 ≤ a/b ≤ 1.000.