The Hardness of Tungsten Carbide-Cobalt Hardmetal

WC-Co is used mostly on account of its hardness which is high for a metallic material, although other outstanding properties, such an extremely high Young modulus, a high thermal conductivity, and a low coefficient of thermal expansion, contribute to its success in a wide range of technical applications. 

This chapter reviews the information available on the dependence of the hardness of WC-Co on microstructural parameters, composition and external conditions, such as temperature. It also reviews information available on the effect of microstructure and composition on the relationships between hardness and toughness and hardness and abrasive wear resistance. 

The hardness of industrial hardmetal grades is characterized preferentially by the Rockwell A scale [1] in the USA [2] and by the Vickers scale [3] in Europe. Most research work, however, has been carried out, also in the USA, using the Vickers scale. Most of the results reported below were obtained using standard pyramidal Vickers indenters [3]. 

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