Kõvasulamist

Kõvasulamist, often translated as carbide or hard metal, is a composite material used for its exceptional hardness, wear resistance, and high-temperature strength. It is typically made by mixing finely powdered refractory carbides, such as tungsten carbide (WC), titanium carbide (TiC), or tantalum carbide (TaC), with a binder metal, most commonly cobalt (Co). These powders are then pressed into the desired shape and sintered at high temperatures, causing the binder metal to melt and fuse the carbide particles together. The resulting material has a microstructure consisting of hard carbide grains embedded in a tough binder matrix.

The properties of kõvasulamist can be tailored by adjusting the composition of the carbide and binder phases, as well as the grain size. For instance, a higher cobalt content generally leads to increased toughness but reduced hardness and wear resistance. Conversely, finer carbide grain sizes typically enhance hardness and wear resistance. Tungsten carbide-cobalt (WC-Co) is the most common type, prized for its excellent balance of hardness, strength, and toughness.

Kõvasulamist finds widespread applications in industries requiring extreme durability and performance. It is extensively used in cutting tools for machining metals and other hard materials, drill bits for mining and construction, wear parts in pumps and seals, dies for metal forming, and in various high-performance components subject to abrasive or erosive environments. Its ability to retain hardness at elevated temperatures also makes it suitable for applications in the aerospace and automotive sectors.