Tungsten Carbide

 

Tungsten Carbide (WC) is an extremely hard ceramic material in the form of grey fine powder particles. This material exhibits excellent wear, abrasion and scratch resistance due to its high hardness. It shields the surface from damage and other surface-based attacks like corrosion, erosion, and fatigue. Being ceramic in nature, WC is very stable due to its higher melting point.

Selection Criteria

The expense of a coating is directly dependant on the material being coated. In this regard, Tungsten Carbide coatings are a premium coating. These coatings are often preferred when parts have undergone irreversible damage by wear or erosion and coating is more cost effective than buying new. In such conditions, WC coatings are a cheaper and feasible solution.

They are primarily used where excellent wear resistance is the main requirement; as its wear resistance surpasses its other mechanical properties.

Properties of WC coatings

• High Hardness
• Good Strength
• Excellent resistance to wear, abrasion and scratching
• Good corrosion resistance
• High bonding strength
• Low porosity
• Dense coating
• Offers variable properties depending on the grain size of the WC powder and its volume fraction during thermal spraying

Potential Benefits

• WC coatings enhance the service life of the product.
• Coating technology is efficient and reliable.
• Shields against a vast variety of surface damage.
• It offers a good combination of mechanical and metallurgical properties.

Uses and Applications

• WC coatings are mainly used for the treatment of badly worn and damaged surfaces. Areas where part removal and replacements are costly, WC coatings are preferred.
• These coatings are employed in machinery where a part is exposed to extreme wear conditions.
• WC also finds its applications in abrasive grinding papers, polishing papers, cutting and machining tools.
• They are also utilized throughout the metal production process from the extraction of ore to achieving the processed metal, especially in steel production.
• They are also used in the paper production industry for achieving a good grip surface on the surface rolls.
• WC coatings are also applied where specific surface finishes are a required. This is due to the surface parameters that can be achieved through different thermal spraying techniques.
• These coatings are also employed in the power generation sector for the protection of the fuel source from excessive wear attack in the production chamber.

Learn more about wear coatings