In the case of cemented (W,Ti)C, Ni or Co is added as a binder for the formation of composite structures. However, the high cost and the low hardness of Ni or Co, and the low corrosion resistance of the (W,Ti)C-Ni and (W,Ti)C-Co cermets have generated interest in recent years for alternative binder phases. In this study, FeAl3 was used as a novel binder and sintered by the high frequency induction heated sintering (HFIHS) method. The method was found to enable not only the rapid densification but also the inhibition of grain growth preserving the nano-scale microstructure. The average grain sizes of the sintered (W,Ti)C and (W,Ti)C-FeAl3 were lower than 100 nm. Highly dense (W,Ti)C and (W,Ti)C-FeAl3 with a relative density of up to 99% was obtained within three min by HFIHS under a pressure of 80 MPa. The addition of FeAl3 to (W,Ti)C enhanced the toughness at the expense of the slight decrease in hardness due to crack deflection and nanostructured phase.

Keywords: Nanomaterials, Sintering, Hardness, Fracture Toughness, Hard Materials