Spark Plasma Sintering Preparation of Tungsten Carbide-Reinforced Iron-Based Composite Materials: Wear Resistance Performance and Mechanism

The spark plasma sintering (SPS) process was used to create iron-based composites reinforced with tungsten carbide (WC) particles of various morphologies, and the effect of WC particle morphology on material wear resistance was systematically investigated. The experiment revealed that the addition of non-spherical WC (CTC-A) significantly altered the composites' friction coefficient, wear morphology, and wear mechanism. As the CTC-A content increased, the composites' wear rate decreased at first, then increased, and then decreased again. Composites with a CTC-A concentration of 10% had a minimum wear rate of 2.7 × 10^-6 mm³/(N·m) and peaked at 20%. SEM analysis indicated that the wear mechanism gradually changed from initial oxidative wear to abrasive wear as the CTC-A content increased, and the wear morphology transitioned from smooth to rough with the appearance of numerous abrasives and cracks. The study demonstrated that the low content of non-spherical WC particles during sintering significantly increased the hardness of the matrix by forming carbide phases, while a high content led to increased surface roughness, inducing abrasive wear and reducing wear performance. These findings provide a significant theoretical basis and practical guidance for optimizing the design of iron-based composites.