Tungsten Carbide - What impact does the binder have?

The binder in most grades of Tungsten Carbide is cobalt. The other binder used is nickel. The binder is added as a percentage by weight varying from 3% to 30%. The amount of binder used is a very important factor in determining the properties of each grade. As a rule of thumb the lower the cobalt content the harder the material will become. However variation in grain size and additives can upset this rule.

Tungsten Carbide permutations have a unique variety of properties, high compressive strength, hardness and resistance to wear, as well as a capability to endure shock and impact. Typical applications are seal rings, valves, linear bearings and blades.

Traditional Tungsten Carbides, with Cobalt binder, have limited corrosion resistance, making them unsuitable for applications in which the wear parts are functioning under both severe abrasive and corrosive conditions.


Tungsten Carbide binder