The Influence of Cryogenic Treatment on the Tribological Properties of Tungsten Carbide

Improvement in wear resistance and hardness of cutting tool material is one of the most critical challenges in machining operations. This issue can be addressed by enhancing wear resistance and hardness through cryogenic treatment of tungsten carbide. This study investigates the effect of different soaking periods during cryogenic treatment on commercially available tungsten carbide. Experiments were conducted at a temperature of 88K with varying soaking periods of 8 hours, 20 hours, 24 hours, and 30 hours. To quantify and confirm the impact of different soaking periods on hardness and wear resistance, Rockwell hardness measurements and weight loss during wear tests were performed. The results indicate a significant decrease in weight loss for the sample soaked for 8 hours compared to other soaking periods, although there was no change in bulk hardness. The reduced weight loss during the sliding wear test suggests that cryogenically treated tungsten carbide exhibits improved wear resistance due to an increased population density of carbides. Microstructural analysis of the worn surface reveals the mechanism behind the enhanced mechanical properties.