The properties of tungsten carbide are listed below. Although the strength, rigidity, and other qualities of various grades of tungsten carbide vary, all tungsten carbide material fits within the fundamental categories outlined below.
- Strength – For a material that is so hard and stiff, tungsten carbide has a very high strength. Comparable to practically all melted, cast, or forged metals and alloys, it has a higher compressive strength.
- Rigidity – Tungsten carbide compositions are typically four to six times more stiff than cast iron and brass and two to three times more rigid than steel. The maximum Young’s modulus is 94,800,000 psi.
- In the numerous applications where a combination of little deflection and strong ultimate strength deserves first consideration, high resistance to deformation and deflection is particularly important. Rolls for strip or sheet metal and precise grinding spindles are some of them.
- Impact Resistant – The impact resistance is one of tungsten carbide properties is remarkable for a material with such a high stiffness and hardness. It falls into the category of harder and more compressive tool steels that have been hardened.
- Tungsten-base carbides perform well up to around 1000°F in oxidizing atmospheres and to 1500°F in non-oxidizing atmospheres in terms of heat and oxidation resistance.
- Resistance to low temperatures (cryogenic properties) – Even at cryogenic temperatures, tungsten carbide maintains its hardness and impact strength. (-453°F.)
- Tungsten carbide has a thermal conductivity that is almost double that of tool steel and carbon steel.
- Tungsten carbide has a similar electrical conductivity as tool steel and carbon steel.
- Tungsten carbide has a specific heat that is between 50% and 70% higher than carbon steel.
- Weight – Tungsten carbide has a specific gravity that is between 1.5 and 2 times greater than that of carbon steel.
- Hot Hardness – Wrought iron carbide maintains a large portion of its room temperature hardness when heated to 1400°F. Some types of steel are as hard as steels at ambient temperature when heated to 1400°F.
- Tolerances – In the case of mining or drilling compacts, many surfaces and even whole pieces can be utilized «as sintered,» just as they were taken out of the furnace. For items like stamping dies that need to be precisely ground, close-tolerance preforms are offered for grinding or EDM.
- Fastening Techniques – There are three ways to attach tungsten carbide to other materials: brazing, epoxy cementing, or mechanical techniques. When providing preforms for grinding or EDM, the low thermal expansion rate of tungsten carbide must be carefully taken into account.
- Coefficient of Friction – When compared to steels, tungsten carbide compositions have low dry coefficient of friction values.
- Galling – Surface welding and galling are extremely difficult for tungsten carbide compositions to withstand.
- Corrosion-Wear Resistance – There are certain grades with corrosion resistance that is comparable to that of noble metals. For many applications, conventional grades offer adequate resistance to corrosion-wear conditions.
- Wear-Resistance – In circumstances like abrasion, erosion, and galling, tungsten carbide wears up to 100 times longer than steel. Tungsten carbide has more wear resistance than wear-resistant tool steels.
- Surface Finishes – A sintered item will have a finish of roughly 50 microinches. When using a diamond wheel for surface, cylindrical, or internal grinding, the result will be at least 18 microinches and as little as 4 to 8 microinches. Two microinches can be produced by diamond lapping and honing, while one-half of an inch may be produced by polishing.
- Dimensional Stability – During heating and cooling, tungsten carbide doesn’t go through any phase transitions, maintaining its stability indefinitely. Heat treatment is not necessary.