Toward Greener Synthesis of WC Powders for Cemented Tungsten Carbides Manufacturing

Tungsten carbide (WC) is the most important tungsten compound, and main component of WC-Co cermet composites. are widely used engineering materials due to combination high hardness strength with toughness plasticity metallic binder. The direct synthesis WC from concentrate containing ∼70% WO3 has been achieved by carbothermic reduction. Mineral/carbon black mixtures were prepared planetary ball milling subjected annealing at 1150 °C in flowing Ar. Specific leaching treatments have developed remove foreign phases obtain pure powders. This new process allows about 50% energy saving, −34% CO2 emissions, significantly lower amounts industrial waste, respect classical hydrometallurgical extraction subsequent pyrometallurgical synthesis, industry. powders obtained reduction mineral employed prepare sintered WC-8 wt %Co samples that showed density (>99%), (1490 HV), (14.6 MPa·m1/2). These findings demonstrate, for first time, concentrates does represent a viable efficient sustainable be production cemented carbides.