In-situ sintering of additively manufactured WC-12%Co cermets by X-ray tomography and diffraction.

Cemented tungsten carbides-cobalt (WC-Co) commonly referred to as hard-metals, are known for their very high hardness. They are additively manufactured by binder jetting, which produces stress and crack-free parts with isotropic properties. However, the mechanical properties of the WC-Co parts strongly depend on the binder content, WC grain size and its distribution. Moreover, the binder jetting process of WC-Co involves a sintering densification phase that results in volumetric shrinkage of the printed part. That being said, in the proposed experiment, we intend to couple in-situ sintering of WC-Co green parts, produced through binder jetting, with synchrotron X-ray tomography and diffraction. 3D image analysis and the simultaneous knowledge of the present phases will yield detailed insights into the sintering process and will allow us to understand the influence of printing parameters and the initial properties of green parts on sintering mechanisms.