Cobalt-free high-entropy alloys as the binder materials in cemented carbides

Principal Investigators: Fu, Zhezhen

University: Pennsylvania State University, Harrisburg and University of Pittsburgh (sub-award)

Industry Partners: Kennametal Inc.

Cemented carbides based on the composition of tungsten carbide-cobalt (WC-Co), have promising mechanical properties. These include hardness, fracture toughness, and wear resistance and have been widely used as inserts for metal cutting, mining tools and wear resistance parts. However, the cost of Co is increasingly high due to the increased demand for Co from the electric vehicle industry. Furthermore, the toxic substances in chemicals of Co-based materials lead to environmental issues. The mechanical properties of cemented carbides are also restricted due to the limited category of the binder. Penn State Harrisburg (materials fabrication), the University of Pittsburgh (computational design), and Kennametal (materials characterization) will collaboratively develop Co-free cemented carbides by utilizing near-equimolar alloys of multi-elements (known as high-entropy alloys, HEAs) as binder materials. We will use computational and experimental approaches to design and fabricate the materials. The overall goal is to improve the mechanical properties and reduce the costs of cemented carbide.