Processing and Properties of WC-Based Cu-Ni-Mn-Zn Metal Matrix Composites Produced Via Pressureless Infiltration
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Scholars' Mine Masters Theses Student Theses and Dissertations Summer 2017 Processing and properties of WC-based Cu-Ni-Mn-Zn metal matrix composites produced via pressureless infiltration Paul M. Brune Follow this and additional works at: https://scholarsmine.mst.edu/masters_theses Part of the Materials Science and Engineering Commons Department: Recommended Citation Brune, Paul M., "Processing and properties of WC-based Cu-Ni-Mn-Zn metal matrix composites produced via pressureless infiltration" (2017). Masters Theses. 7850. https://scholarsmine.mst.edu/masters_theses/7850 This thesis is brought to you by Scholars' Mine, a service of the Missouri S&T Library and Learning Resources. This work is protected by U. S. Copyright Law. Unauthorized use including reproduction for redistribution requires the permission of the copyright holder. For more information, please contact [email protected]. PROCESSING AND PROPERTIES OF WC-BASED CU-NI-MN-ZN METAL MATRIX COMPOSITES PRODUCED VIA PRESSURELESS INFILTRATION by PAUL MICHAEL BRUNE A THESIS Presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School of the MISSOURI UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY In Partial Fulfillment of the Requirements for the Degree MASTER OF SCIENCE IN CERAMIC ENGINEERING 2017 Approved by Greg E. Hilmas, Advisor Jeremy L. Watts Ronald J. O’Malley iii PUBLICATION THESIS OPTION This thesis consists of the following two articles which will have been or will be submitted for publication as follows. Paper I: Pages 22-39 entitled “The Wetting of TaC, B4C, WC, and SiC by Cu-Ni- Mn and Cu-Ni-Mn-Zn Alloys” are intended for submission to the Journal of the American Ceramic Society. Paper II: Pages 40-57 entitled “The Processing and Properties of WC-based/Cu- Ni-Mn-Zn Metal Matrix Composites” are intended for submission to the Journal of the American Ceramic Society. iv ABSTRACT This research focuses on the processing and properties of tungsten carbide-based (WC-based) Cu-Ni-Mn-Zn metal matrix composites (MMCs) fabricated by pressureless infiltration. The first goal of this project was to test the wettability of Cu-Ni-Mn and Cu- Ni-Mn-Zn on various carbides. The sessile drop technique was employed to determine if they were suitable candidates for pressureless infiltration. The carbides investigated were TaC, WC, B4C, and SiC. It was determined that both alloys had contact angles of less than 70° on TaC, WC, and B4C, which is one requirement for pressureless infiltration. However, both alloys reacted with B4C to produce graphite at the metal-ceramic interface. Since graphite is not wet by either alloy, the presence of graphite disqualified B4C as a candidate for pressureless infiltration. The second goal of the project was to establish a baseline for the hardness, transverse rupture strength (TRS), fracture toughness, and wear resistance of WC/Cu-Ni-Mn-Zn MMCs and examine the effect of substituting 10 vol. % of WC for VC, cBN, and TaC on the microstructure and mechanical properties. The baseline hardness, TRS, fracture toughness, and wear resistance were measured to be 3.3 ± 0.2 GPa, 838 ± 61 MPa, 20.7 ± 0.4 MPa•m1/2, and 20.8 ± 4.6 mm3, respectfully. The substitution of VC and cBN increased the porosity of the microstructure while decreasing hardness and TRS. The substitution of TaC also increased the porosity, but to a lesser extent as well as having little effect on the hardness resulting in a higher TRS with the TaC10 composition measuring 1000 ± 47 MPa. The substitution of VC and TaC increased the fracture toughness with the TaC3 composition measuring highest at 26.5 ± 0.3 MPa•m1/2. However, both the VC and the TaC10 compositions had a higher volume loss than the baseline in wear testing. v ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS First, I would like to thank my advisor, Dr. Gregory Hilmas, for his guidance and patience over the past two years. Without his council, I would have never considered becoming a ceramic engineer, and it was with his council that I, in part, decided to become a graduate student. I thank him for allowing me the opportunity to travel the country to present my research. Most of all, I would like to thank him for the opportunities and advice that he provided to me for teaching undergraduates both in the lab and in the classroom. Next, I would like to thank Dr. Jeremy Watts for his invaluable assistance in the laboratory and in writing. Without his guidance, I would have never made it through the past two years. I would also be considerably worse at racquetball. Thank you also to Dr. Fahrenholtz and Dr. O’Malley who provided me the tools and direction to pursue my research into the field of wetting and metal-ceramic interactions. Thank you to my peers in 307 for all of your help and support. They taught me how to operate much of the equipment necessary for my research and helped me build the equipment that was needed. They kept me on track when I needed it most, provided sound advice, and added to my understanding of ceramic processing. Thank you also to all the undergraduate researchers who contributed to this body of research, your help and input was invaluable. Finally, I would like to thank my family and my friends for always believing in me throughout the years. You are the source of my strength during long nights and the source of my inspiration when times get rough. Without you all, I would not have made it to where I am today. Thank you. vi TABLE OF CONTENTS Page PUBLICATION THESIS OPTION ................................................................................... iii ABSTRACT ....................................................................................................................... iv ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS ................................................................................................ v LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS ............................................................................................. ix LIST OF TABLES ............................................................................................................. xi SECTION 1. INTRODUCTION .................................................................................................... 1 2. LITERATURE REVIEW ......................................................................................... 3 2.1. PROPERTIES OF BASE MATERIALS ....................................................... 3 2.1.1. Tungsten Carbide. .............................................................................. 3 2.1.2. Tantalum Carbide. .............................................................................. 4 2.1.3. Vanadium Carbide. ............................................................................. 5 2.1.4. Silicon Carbide. .................................................................................. 5 2.1.5. Boron Carbide. ................................................................................... 6 2.1.6. Cubic Boron Nitride. .......................................................................... 8 2.1.7. Cu-Ni-Mn-Zn and Cu-Ni-Mn. ............................................................ 9 2.2. WETTABILITY AND THE RELATION TO INFILTRATION .................. 9 2.3. METAL MATRIX COMPOSITES .............................................................. 15 2.3.1. Processing of Metal Matrix Composites. ......................................... 15 vii 2.3.2. Mechanical Properties of Metal Matrix Composites. ....................... 16 2.3.2.1. Hardness. ............................................................................. 17 2.3.2.2. Transverse rupture strength................................................. 17 2.3.2.3. Elastic modulus. .................................................................. 18 2.3.2.4. Wear resistance. .................................................................. 19 2.3.2.5. Fracture toughness. ............................................................. 20 2.4. TUNGSTEN CARBIDE WITH CU-NI-MN-ZN ........................................ 21 PAPER I. THE WETTING OF TaC, B4C, WC, AND SiC BY Cu-Ni-Mn AND Cu-Ni- Mn-Zn ALLOYS...................................................................................................... 22 ABSTRACT ........................................................................................................ 22 1. INTRODUCTION ........................................................................................... 23 2. PROCEDURE ................................................................................................. 25 2.1. Specimen Preparation .......................................................................... 25 2.2. Experimental ....................................................................................... 25 2.3. Analysis ............................................................................................... 26 3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION ..................................................................... 26 3.1. Tantalum Carbide and Tungsten Carbide ............................................ 26 3.2. Boron Carbide ..................................................................................... 27 3.3. Silicon Carbide .................................................................................... 29 4. SUMMARY .................................................................................................... 30 viii FIGURES AND TABLES................................................................................... 32 REFERENCES .................................................................................................... 36