Investigation of nanostructured hard metal composites obtained from powder mixtures (WC-Co)-Al2O3

A new stereological model of nanostructured hard metal composites is suggested which describes the packing density, structural parameters and fracture toughness depending on the sizes, volume of the carbides and addition of nanoparticles Al2O3. The results of complex theoretical and experimental investigations of hard metal composites based on powder mixtures (WC-Co)-Al2O3(nano) are presented, which confirm the possibility of improvement of the structure parameters (with the average size of the binder interlayer being up to 0.12 μm and carbide grain up to 1μm), increasing the hardness 15-18 HV, GPa, fracture toughness, K1c, 16-19 MPa m1/2, transverse rupture toughness, σи - 2700 MPa. The results of the modeling experiments are in satisfactory agreement with the measurements of structure parameters and fracture toughness.