The high temperatures and pressures that are found in a spark gap during electrical discharging lead to a sharp phase transition and structural transformation in the surface layer of cemented carbides containing WC and cobalt. By means of X-ray diffraction both W2C and a high-temperature monocarbide of tungsten (face-centered cubic) were detected after electro-erosion. The W2C forms as a result of the peritectic reaction, WC → W2C+C. The existence and amount of the phases depend on both the energy of the electro-spark discharge and the cobalt content. In the case of a low-energy discharge (i.e. C=0.01μF, V = 300v), WC(f.c.c.) is generally formed in the surface layer. However, at high energies, (e.g. C=30μF, V = 300v), W2C is formed at the surface in preference to the monocarbide. The phase transformations in the surface layer are retarded by the presence of larger percentages of cobalt.Metallographic examination of the electro-eroded surfaces of cemented carbides was carried out on samples with 5-30% cobalt content. The specimens were first metallographically polished using diamond paste and standard procedures and then subjected to various electrical discharges on a Servomet spark machining device. The samples were then repolished and etched in a 3% NH4OH electrolyte at -0.5 amp/cm2. Two stage plastic-carbon replicas were then made and shadowed with chromium at 27°.
