Mechanical strength of ground WC-Co cemented carbides after coating deposition

Manufacturing of hardmetal tools often involves surface grinding, ion etching and final coating. Each stage throughout the manufacturing chain introduces surface integrity changes which may be critical for defining the final mechanical behavior of the coated tools. Within this context, an experimental test program has been developed to assess the influence of a coating (TiN) deposition on surface integrity and transverse rupture strength of a previously ground fine-grained WC-Co grade substrate. Four different substrate surface finish conditions (prior to ion etching and coating) were evaluated: as sintered (AS), ground (G), polished (P), and ground plus high temperature annealing (GTT). Surface integrity and fracture resistance characterization, complemented with a detailed fractographic analysis, were performed on both uncoated and coated samples. Results show that the surface integrity after grinding has been partly modified during the ion etching and film deposition processes, particularly in terms of a reduced compressive residual stress state at the substrate surface level. Consequently, the grinding induced strength enhancement in hardmetals is reduced for coated specimens. Main reason behind it is the change of nature, location and stress state acting on critical flaw: from processing defects existing at the subsurface (uncoated G specimens) to grinding-induced microcracks located close to the interface between coating and substrate, but within the subsurface of the latter (coated G specimens). This is not the case for AS and P conditions, where flexural strength does not change as a result of ion etching and coating. Finally, fracture resistance increases slightly for GTT specimens after coating process, possibly caused by a beneficial effect of the deposited film on the residual stress state at the surfac

Small-scale mechanical response of cemented carbides: Correlation between mechanical properties and microstructure

The unique combination of hardness, toughness and wear resistance exhibited by heterogeneous hard materials (e.g. cemented carbides, PCD composites, PcBN systems and generic hard coating/substrate combinations) has made them preeminent material choices for extremely demanding applications, such as metal cutting/forming tools or mining bits, where improved and consistent performance together with high reliability are required. The remarkable mechanical properties of these materials results from a two-fold effectiveness associated with their intrinsic composite character. On the one hand in terms of composite nature: combination of completely different phases (hard, brittle and soft, ductile constituents) with optimal interface properties. On the other hand as related to composite assemblage: two interpenetrating-phase networks where toughening is optimized through different mechanisms depending on the relatively different chemical nature among them. In particular, this presentation is focused on WC-Co hardmetals, as reference hard material. Large number of studies has been reported, mainly focused on the mechanical behavior of this composite. On the other hand, information on the small-scale mechanical response of these materials is rather scarce. This is particularly true regarding experimental data and analysis on the influence of phase nature, crystal orientation (anisotropy) and interfacial adhesion strength on hardness, deformation and/or damage mechanisms. It is clear that knowledge of these issues is crucial not only to improve the performance of hardmetals but also to develop ceramic-metal composites beyond WC-Co systems. A systematic micro- and nanomechanical study of the mechanical response of several microstructurally different WC-Co grades is presented. In doing so, nanoindentation technique is implemented and corresponding deformation/damage mechanisms are also investigated. In general, five different approaches are followed to accomplish the main goal of this research: (1) assessment of intrinsic hardness values and main deformation mechanisms as a function of crystal orientation for the carbide phase at room temperature (RT) and also at high temperature (from RT to 600 ºC), (2) determination of effective hardness and flow stress of the metallic binder through massive nanoindentation and statistical analysis, (3) evaluation of the Hall-Petch parameters for the WC-Co as a function of a microstructural parameter (mean free path) by using the methodology presented above, (4) correlation of the microstructure with the hardness and elastic modulus map by using high indentation speed tests, and (5) study of the stress-strain response by means of ex/in-situ compression of micropillars. It is found that WC-Co composites are strongly anisotropic in terms of hardness at the small scale (microstructure), being the WC hardness for the basal plane about 20-30% higher than for the prismatic and pyramidal planes. It implies consideration of carbides with different crystal orientations as distinct phases for statistical analysis of massive nanoindentation data. Implementation of such testing/analysis protocol indicates a flow stress for the constrained Co-based binder of about 2.6-3.5 GPa. By plotting of the experimentally data as a function of the binder mean free path results in a Hall-Petch strengthening relationship. Finally, the compression of micropillars points out that main deformation mechanisms are located in the metallic binder although close to the strong interface exhibited by these materials

Grinding-induced metallurgical alterations in the binder phase of WC-Co cemented carbides

The metallic binder phase dictates the toughening behavior of WC-Co cemented carbides (hardmetals), even though it occupies a relative small fraction of the composite. Studies on deformation and phase transformation of the binder constituent are scarce. Grinding represents a key manufacturing step in machining of hardmetal tools, and is well-recognized to induce surface integrity alterations. In this work, metallurgical alterations of the binder phase in ground WC-Co cemented carbides have been assessed by a combination of electron back scattered diffraction and transmission electron microscopy techniques. The Co-base binder experiences a martensitic phase transformation from fcc to hcp crystal structure, predominantly in the first 5 µm below the surface. The hcp fraction decreases gradually along a depth of 10 µm. Surface Co displays severe plastic deformation under the highest strain, resulting in formation of nanocrystalline grains in the first micrometer below the surface. Microstructural refinement within the binder phase is observed even at greater depth. Stacking faults were detected in most of the refined grains. The metallurgical alterations of the binder phase modify the local stress distribution during grinding, which affects the discerned subsurface microcracking. The resulting residual stress profile is the sum of multiple subsurface changes, such as phase transformation, severe plastic deformation and grain refinement, where it is discerned that the depth profile of the transformed hcp-Co fraction coincides with the grinding-induced residual stress profile.Peer ReviewedPostprint (author's final draft

Novel mechanical characterization of austenite and ferrite phases within duplex stainless steel

Peer ReviewedPostprint (published version

Alcohol use and burden for 195 countries and territories, 1990-2016 : a systematic analysis for the Global Burden of Disease Study 2016

Background Alcohol use is a leading risk factor for death and disability, but its overall association with health remains complex given the possible protective effects of moderate alcohol consumption on some conditions. With our comprehensive approach to health accounting within the Global Burden of Diseases, Injuries, and Risk Factors Study 2016, we generated improved estimates of alcohol use and alcohol-attributable deaths and disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs) for 195 locations from 1990 to 2016, for both sexes and for 5-year age groups between the ages of 15 years and 95 years and older. Methods Using 694 data sources of individual and population-level alcohol consumption, along with 592 prospective and retrospective studies on the risk of alcohol use, we produced estimates of the prevalence of current drinking, abstention, the distribution of alcohol consumption among current drinkers in standard drinks daily (defined as 10 g of pure ethyl alcohol), and alcohol-attributable deaths and DALYs. We made several methodological improvements compared with previous estimates: first, we adjusted alcohol sales estimates to take into account tourist and unrecorded consumption; second, we did a new meta-analysis of relative risks for 23 health outcomes associated with alcohol use; and third, we developed a new method to quantify the level of alcohol consumption that minimises the overall risk to individual health. Findings Globally, alcohol use was the seventh leading risk factor for both deaths and DALYs in 2016, accounting for 2.2% (95% uncertainty interval [UI] 1.5-3.0) of age-standardised female deaths and 6.8% (5.8-8.0) of age-standardised male deaths. Among the population aged 15-49 years, alcohol use was the leading risk factor globally in 2016, with 3.8% (95% UI 3.2-4-3) of female deaths and 12.2% (10.8-13-6) of male deaths attributable to alcohol use. For the population aged 15-49 years, female attributable DALYs were 2.3% (95% UI 2.0-2.6) and male attributable DALYs were 8.9% (7.8-9.9). The three leading causes of attributable deaths in this age group were tuberculosis (1.4% [95% UI 1. 0-1. 7] of total deaths), road injuries (1.2% [0.7-1.9]), and self-harm (1.1% [0.6-1.5]). For populations aged 50 years and older, cancers accounted for a large proportion of total alcohol-attributable deaths in 2016, constituting 27.1% (95% UI 21.2-33.3) of total alcohol-attributable female deaths and 18.9% (15.3-22.6) of male deaths. The level of alcohol consumption that minimised harm across health outcomes was zero (95% UI 0.0-0.8) standard drinks per week. Interpretation Alcohol use is a leading risk factor for global disease burden and causes substantial health loss. We found that the risk of all-cause mortality, and of cancers specifically, rises with increasing levels of consumption, and the level of consumption that minimises health loss is zero. These results suggest that alcohol control policies might need to be revised worldwide, refocusing on efforts to lower overall population-level consumption.Peer reviewe

Substrate surface finish effects on scratch resistance and failure mechanisms of TiN-coated hardmetals

In this study, the influence of substrate surface finish on scratch resistance and associated failure mechanisms is investigated in the case of a TiN-coated hardmetal. Three different surface finish conditions are studied: as-sintered (AS), ground (G), and mirror-like polished (P). For G conditioned samples, scratch tests are conducted both parallel and perpendicular to the direction of the grinding grooves. It is found that coated AS, G and P samples exhibit similar critical load for initial substrate exposure and the same brittle adhesive failure mode. However, the damage scenarios are different, i.e. the substrate exposure is discrete and localized to the scratch tracks for G samples while a more pronounced and continuous exposure is seen for AS and P ones. Aiming to understand the role played by the grinding-induced compressive residual stresses, the study is extended to coated systems where ground substrates are thermal annealed (for relieving stresses) before being ion etched and coated. It yielded lower critical loads and changes in the mechanisms for the scratch-related failure; the latter depending on the relative orientation between scratching and grinding directions.Peer Reviewe

Substrate surface finish effects on scratch resistance and failure mechanisms of TiN-coated hardmetals

In this study, the influence of substrate surface finish on scratch resistance and associated failure mechanisms is investigated in the case of a TiN-coated hardmetal. Three different surface finish conditions are studied: as-sintered (AS), ground (G), and mirror-like polished (P). For G conditioned samples, scratch tests are conducted both parallel and perpendicular to the direction of the grinding grooves. It is found that coated AS, G and P samples exhibit similar critical load for initial substrate exposure and the same brittle adhesive failure mode. However, the damage scenarios are different, i.e. the substrate exposure is discrete and localized to the scratch tracks for G samples while a more pronounced and continuous exposure is seen for AS and P ones. Aiming to understand the role played by the grinding-induced compressive residual stresses, the study is extended to coated systems where ground substrates are thermal annealed (for relieving stresses) before being ion etched and coated. It yielded lower critical loads and changes in the mechanisms for the scratch-related failure; the latter depending on the relative orientation between scratching and grinding directions.Peer Reviewe

Mechanical strength of ground WC-Co cemented carbides after coating deposition

Manufacturing of hardmetal tools often involves surface grinding, ion etching and final coating. Each stage throughout the manufacturing chain introduces surface integrity changes which may be critical for defining the final mechanical behavior of the coated tools. Within this context, an experimental test program has been developed to assess the influence of a coating (TiN) deposition on surface integrity and transverse rupture strength of a previously ground fine-grained WC-Co grade substrate. Four different substrate surface finish conditions (prior to ion etching and coating) were evaluated: as sintered (AS), ground (G), polished (P), and ground plus high temperature annealing (GTT). Surface integrity and fracture resistance characterization, complemented with a detailed fractographic analysis, were performed on both uncoated and coated samples. Results show that the surface integrity after grinding has been partly modified during the ion etching and film deposition processes, particularly in terms of a reduced compressive residual stress state at the substrate surface level. Consequently, the grinding induced strength enhancement in hardmetals is reduced for coated specimens. Main reason behind it is the change of nature, location and stress state acting on critical flaw: from processing defects existing at the subsurface (uncoated G specimens) to grinding-induced microcracks located close to the interface between coating and substrate, but within the subsurface of the latter (coated G specimens). This is not the case for AS and P conditions, where flexural strength does not change as a result of ion etching and coating. Finally, fracture resistance increases slightly for GTT specimens after coating process, possibly caused by a beneficial effect of the deposited film on the residual stress state at the surface

Mechanical strength of ground WC-Co cemented carbides after coating deposition

Manufacturing of hardmetal tools often involves surface grinding, ion etching and final coating. Each stage throughout the manufacturing chain introduces surface integrity changes which may be critical for defining the final mechanical behavior of the coated tools. Within this context, an experimental test program has been developed to assess the influence of a coating (TiN) deposition on surface integrity and transverse rupture strength of a previously ground fine-grained WC-Co grade substrate. Four different substrate surface finish conditions (prior to ion etching and coating) were evaluated: as sintered (AS), ground (G), polished (P), and ground plus high temperature annealing (GTT). Surface integrity and fracture resistance characterization, complemented with a detailed fractographic analysis, were performed on both uncoated and coated samples. Results show that the surface integrity after grinding has been partly modified during the ion etching and film deposition processes, particularly in terms of a reduced compressive residual stress state at the substrate surface level. Consequently, the grinding induced strength enhancement in hardmetals is reduced for coated specimens. Main reason behind it is the change of nature, location and stress state acting on critical flaw: from processing defects existing at the subsurface (uncoated G specimens) to grinding-induced microcracks located close to the interface between coating and substrate, but within the subsurface of the latter (coated G specimens). This is not the case for AS and P conditions, where flexural strength does not change as a result of ion etching and coating. Finally, fracture resistance increases slightly for GTT specimens after coating process, possibly caused by a beneficial effect of the deposited film on the residual stress state at the surfac

Automatic refinement of constructive solid geometry models

SIGLEAvailable from British Library Document Supply Centre- DSC:DX95536 / BLDSC - British Library Document Supply CentreGBUnited Kingdo