Investigation of Various Hardmetals with Novel High Entropy Alloy Binder

In ongoing efforts to reduce the demand for cobalt in the production of hardmetals, high entropy alloys (HEAs) are emerging as potentially viable substitutes. Previously a novel single-phase HEA, composed of the elements Mn, Fe, Co, Ni, and Cu, which do not form strong carbides, has been developed. It demonstrated good results as binder for Ti(C,N)-cermets. In this study, this HEA was combined with the hard phase WC. The goal was to develop a two-phase hardmetal analogous to WC-Co. An in-situ formation approach for the binder alloy was chosen, utilizing elemental powders and conventional SinterHIP for consolidation. Due to the lack of data regarding these novel hardmetal compositions, different WC grain sizes and binder contents were investigated to gain insight into the properties of the bulk material. Microstructural features, phase composition, and mechanical properties were examined.