Influence of pulse-plasma modification with titanium and silicon carbide of the surface of hard VK10KS alloy on its structure and properties

Electro-explosive alloying as a method of pulse-plasma treatment consists in accumulation of energy by a battery of pulsed capacitors and its subsequent discharge for 100 μs through a conductor in form of titanium foil with silicon carbide powder, while conductor is under explosive destruction. Method of electro-explosive alloying of tungsten-cobalt hard alloy includes melting of surface and its saturation with explosion products, followed by self-hardening by removing heat deep into the material and environment. On the surface of VK10KS hard alloy, the coating was obtained with thickness of up to 15 – 20 microns with nanohardness of 26,000 MPa. Using X-ray phase analysis and scanning electron microscopy, it has been established that new phases of TiC, W2C, (W, Ti)C1 – x , WSi2 with high hardness were formed in the surface layer. As a result, friction coefficient decreased to 0.18 compared to the initial 0.41. Investigations with transmission electron microscopy have revealed changes during electro-explosive alloying that occur in surface carbide and near-surface cobalt phases. Dislocations accumulations were found in the carbide phase. In cobalt binder, deformation bands (slip bands), single dislocations, and finely dispersed precipitates of tungsten carbides were revealed. This change can be explained by stabilization of cubic modification of cobalt, crystal lattice of which has a large number of slip planes upon deformation and greater ability to harden in comparison with hexagonal modification of cobalt. Additional alloying with cobalt binder in heat affected zone after pulse-plasma treatment have a positive effect on the service life of tungsten-cobalt hard alloys as a whole due to their stabilization.