Effects of Mechanical Milling on the Carbothermal Reduction of Oxide of WC/Co Hardmetal Scrap

The effects of mechanical milling on the carbothermal reduction of oxidized WC/Co hardmetal scrap with solid carbon were examined. Mixed powders were manufactured by milling the WC/Co hard metal scrap oxide and carbon powder in either a tumbler-ball mill or a planetary-ball mill. The milling type affected the carbothermal reduction of the oxide owing to the differing collision energies (mechanical milling energies) in the mills. The hardmetal scrap oxide powder (WO3, CoWO4) milled at high energy was more greatly reduced and at a lower temperature than that milled at lower mechanical energy. The formation of WC by the carburization reaction with solid carbon reached completion at a lower temperature after higher-energy milling than after lower-energy milling. The WC/Co composite particles synthesized by the combined oxidation mechanical milling-carbothermal reduction process were smaller when the initial powder was milled at higher mechanical energy.