Effect of adhesives on the interfacial diffusion behavior and mechanical properties of WC particle-reinforced Fe matrix composites

Under the condition of high-stress abrasive wear, the strength at the interface of the WC/Fe matrix composites is significantly low, it is very easy to become the source of the overall damage to the material. In this study, the mechanical properties and interfacial organization of the WC/Fe matrix composites were analyzed by adding a binder and using a combination of powder metallurgy and gravity casting infiltration. The results showed that upon the addition of an adhesive, the width of the interface became twice as large as that without additives. Moreover, adding an adhesive also reduced the plastic deformation at the interface by more than three times. The best bonding agent was borax + sodium carbonate, which significantly increased the diffusion rate of atoms at the interface compared to sodium silicate and polyvinyl alcohol and also enhanced the interfacial mechanical properties.