Cutting tool materials niobium carbide (NbC) substituting tungsten carbide and cermets
- The present paper illuminates the metallurgical progress on niobium carbide based hard metal developments, which are characterized by: a.) the substitution of cobalt binder by nickel, b.) the change from SPS to conventional sintering and c.) by switching from lab to pilot scale. The toughness was increased in the frame of these developments without loosening the hardness level. The hardness-toughness profile of NbC grades match those of WC and cermet grades. Apart from the aforementioned parameters, the properties depend from the powder processing and sintering conditions.
The functional profile of nickel and NiMo bonded NbC versus cobalt bondedWC grades bonded by cobalt and nickel are benchmarked under dry sliding wear (T= 22/400°C; v= 0,1-10 m/s), abrasive wear (G65) and under dry turning and dry milling against different work piece alloys (C45E, 42CrMo4, 300WA, GG35, AlSi9Cu4Mg). The different elements explaining the wear resistance of NbC over WC will be illuminated.