The surface decarburized WC-Co gradient cemented carbide based on impregnation liquid of ammonium metatungstate solution (AMT) can greatly enhance the comprehensive performance of cemented carbide; and with the simple process, easy to operate, it is suitable for industrial production. The preparation steps are as follows: 

1. Put the conventional WC-Co carbide under vacuum conditions at 100~500°C for dewaxing, then to carry out presintering in 800~900°C to obtain presintering billet with a certain strength and porosity; 

2. After them, the sample is dipped into ammonium metatungstate solution to form concentration gradient of AMT with a certain depth and distribution from the surface layer to the inner; 

3. Then, after the sample is dried, put it in vacuum furnace for sintering along with slow heating in low temperature stage, to make the ammonium metatungstate decomposed, which the broken down products (tungsten oxide) will react with surface substance of WC, Co, then we can get surface decarburized WC-Co gradient cemented carbide. 

 

Cemented carbide is a kind of metal ceramic tool material which prepared by powder metallurgy method by taking refractory metal compounds (such as WC, TiC, TaC, NbC, etc.) as the matrix, and transition of metals (like Co, Fe and Ni) as bonding phase. Due to its high strength, hardness and elastic modulus, wear resistance, corrosion resistance, low thermal expansion coefficient and stable chemical properties, etc, it in has important application in metal cutting, wood processing, oil drilling in mines, composite materials processing and other respects. Conventional class of WC-Co carbide is uniformly consisted with two phases of WC and binding phase, however it exists contrary relationship between the hardness, wear resistance and strong toughness. The WC - Co gradient cemented carbide structure with high wear-resistance and hardness surface, toughness core part was developed in the 1980s, while the appearance of surface decarburized WC-Co gradient cemented carbide makes it easier to control surface eta phase formation depth, and thereby to prepare the superior performance of WC-Co carbide.