PFI:AIR-TT: WC/Co Materials with High Hardness and Toughness Simultaneously Enabled by the WC Platelet Microstructure

PFI:AIR-TT：WC片状微观结构同时具有高硬度和韧性的WC/Co材料

• 批准号: 1414021
• 负责人: Leon Shaw
• 金额: $ 20万
• 依托单位: Illinois Institute of Technology
• 依托单位国家: 美国
• 项目类别: Standard Grant
• 财政年份: 2014
• 资助国家: 美国
• 起止时间: 2014-05-01 至 2017-04-30
• 项目状态: 已结题
• 来源: https://www.nsf.gov/awardsearch/showAward?AWD_ID=1414021&HistoricalAwards=false
• 关键词: PFI; AIR; TT; WC; Co

This PFI: AIR Technology Translation project focuses on translating the discovery of Tungsten Carbide-Cobalt (WC/Co) materials with nano-WC platelets that offer characteristics of both high hardness and toughness to fill the needs of the hardmetal industry. This project will result in a sintering approach and processing conditions to obtain consistent and robust WC/Co materials with full densities and a uniform WC platelet microstructure simultaneously. These WC/Co materials with nano-WC platelets have the unique feature of thin WC platelets with high aspect ratios. This feature provides unprecedented enhancements in both hardness and toughness with properties better than any WC/Co materials known today. Such unmatched enhancements are achieved because thin thickness of nano-WC platelets offers high hardness, while the high aspect ratio provides superior toughness. In addition to the superior mechanical properties, this project also addresses the cost of WC/Co materials through our patented Integrated Mechanical and Thermal Activation (IMTA) process to make low cost nano-WC/Co powders as the starting materials to fabricate WC/Co materials with nano-WC platelets. This IMTA process combines mechanical and thermal activation to reduce processing steps, lower reaction temperatures, shorten reaction times, decrease ball milling times, and thus drastically reduce the cost of the nano-WC/Co powder. Currently, the roadblock to the anticipated potentials is inhomogeneous microstructure and a large variation in hardness and toughness. Thus, this PFI: AIR Technology Translation project will focus on sintering study and establish sintering conditions to attain consistent WC/Co materials with compositions ranging from 6 to 18 wt.% Co in conjunction with full densities and a uniform WC platelet microstructure simultaneously.The project engages Kennametal, the second largest WC/Co manufacturer in the world, to independently evaluate the mechanical properties of the WC/Co materials with nano-WC platelets with a goal to accelerate technology translation from research discovery toward commercial reality. In addition, the project team works with University Technology Park (UTP) at Illinois Institute of Technology. UTP is one of the nation's fastest-growing hubs for high-tech innovation, and has a robust network of venture capital firms and angel investors. Working with UTP offers the project team with the option of creating a startup company with funds from venture capital firms or angel investors as well as office space and laboratories required by a new startup company.The WC/Co materials with nano-WC platelets are important because WC/Co materials make up of 98% of all hardmetal components and have been widely used in military, aerospace, automotive, marine, petrochemical, mining, electronics, and wood industries. In all of these military and civilian applications, superior wear resistance derived from a combination of high hardness and high toughness is required. In some cases, impact resistance is also a must. Therefore, advanced WC/Co materials with simultaneous improvements in hardness and toughness will greatly enhance the performance of many existing WC/Co components, and open up new opportunities in areas outside their current application windows. The low cost manufacturing that we have developed can further propel widespread applications of such novel WC/Co hardmetals, and enhance the US manufacturing competitiveness.

该PFI：空气技术翻译项目的重点是翻译具有纳米WC血小板的钨碳酸盐铜（WC/CO）材料的发现，这些材料提供了高硬度和韧性的特征，以满足硬质工业的需求。 该项目将导致烧结的方法和处理条件，以获得具有全密度和均匀WC血小板微结构的一致且健壮的WC/CO材料。这些带有纳米WC血小板的WC/CO材料具有高纵横比的薄WC血小板的独特特征。此功能比当今已知的任何WC/CO材料更好地具有硬度和韧性的前所未有的增强功能。由于纳米-WC血小板的厚度较薄，因此可以实现这种无与伦比的增强功能，而高纵横比具有较高的韧性。除了出色的机械性能外，该项目还通过我们获得专利的集成机械和热激活（IMTA）工艺来解决WC/CO材料的成本，以使低成本的Nano-WC/CO粉末作为使用纳米WC血小板制造WC/CO材料的起始材料。该IMTA过程结合了机械和热激活，以降低加工步骤，较低的反应温度，缩短反应时间，减少球铣削时间，从而大大降低纳米WC/CO粉末的成本。目前，预期潜力的障碍是不均匀的微观结构和硬度和韧性的巨大变化。因此，该PFI：空气技术翻译项目将集中在烧结研究上，并建立烧结条件，以达到一致的WC/CO材料，其成分范围为6至18wt。％CO，并结合全部密度和均匀的WC血小板微观结构，同时进行WC血小板微观结构。具有纳米WC血小板的材料，其目标是加速从研究发现到商业现实的技术翻译。此外，项目团队与伊利诺伊理工学院的大学技术园（UTP）合作。 UTP是全美增长最快的高科技创新枢纽之一，并且拥有强大的风险投资公司和天使投资者网络。 Working with UTP offers the project team with the option of creating a startup company with funds from venture capital firms or angel investors as well as office space and laboratories required by a new startup company.The WC/Co materials with nano-WC platelets are important because WC/Co materials make up of 98% of all hardmetal components and have been widely used in military, aerospace, automotive, marine, petrochemical, mining, electronics,和木材工业。在所有这些军事和平民的应用中，需要由高硬度和高韧性的结合而产生的优势耐磨性。在某些情况下，抗冲击力也是必须的。因此，具有同时改进硬度和韧性的高级WC/CO材料将大大提高许多现有的WC/CO组件的性能，并在当前应用程序窗口以外的地区开设新的机会。我们开发的低成本制造可以进一步推动这种新型WC/CO硬质的广泛应用，并增强美国制造业的竞争力。