Compressive deformation and fracture in WC materials

Plastic flow and fracture have been studied in WC single crystals and in WC-Co materials. Deformation was introduced by several techniques which resulted in the development of high compressive stresses which encourage slip in WC. Optical and transmission electron microscopy studies show that plastic flow in the carbide phase always precedes fracture. A simple analysis shows that there are only four independent slip systems in WC. Consideration of the limitations for slip in WC lead to a mechanistic model for fracture initiation in WC-Co