Corrosion of WC-VC-Co hardmetal in neutral chloride containing media

Abstract

Corrosion is an important surface degradation process in some, if not all, applications of tungsten-carbide-(WC-) cobalt- (Co-) based hardmetals. Applications like tools for machining of metals and for wear resistance in the mining industry expose the WC-Co to fluids that can be corrosive, leading to a reduced useful life. The Co binder is the least corrosion resistant constituent, and efforts to improve WC-Co corrosion resistance have involved altering the chemical composition of the binder by introducing more corrosion resistant elements. Nickel, and chromium especially, and recently, ruthenium have been shown to markedly improve the corrosion resistance of WC-Co-based hardmetal