A critical review of the tribocorrosion of cemented and thermal sprayed tungsten carbide

Cemented and thermal sprayed tungsten carbide are extensively used in a wide range of applications, ranging from downhole drilling tools and oil and gas valves to gas turbine engines. These WC based systems offer improved wear resistance as a result of hard ceramic phases surrounded by a metallic binder matrix. However, the presence of hard and soft phases within these materials also leads to differing wear mechanisms and the formation of micro-galvanic couplings in aqueous environments often result in a reduction in combined wear-corrosion resistance. This paper examines the wear-corrosion performance of these WC based systems in a range of wear, electrochemical and wear-corrosion tests to develop models and establish relationships between wear mechanisms and environmental factors such as pH. •Significant difference in composition and structure between cemented WC and WC coating.•Tribocorrosion is an area of significant interest and needs further understanding.•Understanding of individual degradation mechanisms is required.•Numerical modelling provides a method for understanding and prediction of degradation.