DISTRIBUTION AND EXISTENT MORPHOLOGY OF RARE EARTHS IN CEMENTED CARBIDE

In this paper, the distribution and existent morphology of rare earths in cemented carbide have been studied. The results have shown that rare earth metal will be absorbed on the interface of WC/liquid phase (WC-Co alloys) and (Ti, W) C/liquid phase (TiC-WC-Co alloys) at liquid-phase sintering temperature. Rare earth elements are richly aggregated on the interface of WC/γ, phases and (Ti,W)C/γ phases at room temperature. The spheroidal precipitates(containing RE) exist at the interrace of WC/γ phases and in γ phase. It is inferred initially that rare earth elements exist as atomic state here, but the possibility of its existance as compound also can not be ruled out.