T15 Powder

Overview of T15 Powder

T15 powder is a tungsten carbide-cobalt cemented carbide powder that provides an exceptional combination of hardness, strength, and toughness. It contains a high percentage of tungsten carbide along with 15% cobalt as the binder phase.

Key properties and advantages of T15 powder:

T15 Powder Properties and Characteristics

Properties	Details
Composition	85% WC with 15% Co binder
Density	13.0-14.5 g/cc
Particle shape	Rounded, multi-faceted
Size range	0.5-15 microns
Hardness	88-93 HRA when sintered
Transverse rupture strength	550-650 MPa

The ultrahard tungsten carbide particles held together in a cobalt matrix make T15 ideal for the most extreme wear and abrasion conditions across industrial, mining, and construction sectors.

T15 Powder Composition

Typical composition of T15 cemented carbide powder:

T15 Powder Composition

Component	Weight %
Tungsten carbide (WC)	84-86%
Cobalt (Co)	14-16%
Carbon (C)	0.8% max
Oxygen (O)	0.5% max
Iron (Fe)	0.3% max
Nickel (Ni)	0.3% max

• Tungsten carbide provides extreme hardness and wear resistance
• Cobalt acts as tough and ductile binder holding WC particles together
• Carbon and oxygen present as impurities
• Trace iron, nickel from raw materials

The optimized WC-Co ratio provides the best combination of hardness, fracture toughness and impact strength needed in wearing applications.

T15 Powder Physical Properties

T15 Powder Physical Properties

Property	Values
Density	13.0-14.5 g/cc
Melting point	2870°C (WC) and 1495°C (Co)
Thermal conductivity	60-100 W/mK
Electrical resistivity	25-35 μΩ-cm
Coefficient of thermal expansion	4.5-6.0 x 10^-6 /K
Maximum service temperature	500°C in air

• Very high density enables use in compact, miniaturized components
• Very low CTE reduces thermal stresses and distortion
• Can withstand continuous service up to 500°C
• Good thermal conductivity reduces temperature gradients

These properties make T15 suited for severe abrasion and repeated impact force conditions experienced in mining, drilling, and construction environments.

T15 Powder Mechanical Properties

T15 Powder Mechanical Properties

Property	Values
Hardness	88-93 HRA
Transverse rupture strength	550-650 MPa
Compressive strength	5500-6200 MPa
Fracture toughness	10-12 MPa.m^1/2
Young’s modulus	550-650 GPa
Impact strength	350-900 kJ/m2

• Extreme hardness provides wear and abrasion resistance
• Very high compressive strength withstands crushing forces
• Reasonable fracture toughness and impact strength
• Hardness and strength determined by WC particle size and distribution

This exceptional combination of hardness, strength and toughness makes T15 suitable for the most severe impaction, abrasion and gouging wear conditions.

T15 Powder Applications

Typical applications of T15 tungsten carbide-cobalt powder include:

T15 Powder Applications

Industry	Example Uses
Mining	Rock drill bits, grit blasting nozzles
Construction	Demolition tools, rock crushers
Manufacturing	Forming dies, metal drawing parts
Oil and gas	Stabilizers, downhole motors
General	Cutting and machining tools

Some specific product uses:

• Percussive rock drilling bits, mine boring tools
• Highly abrasive slurry pump parts like shafts, impellers
• Extrusion dies for brick and ceramic manufacturing
• Wear-resistant components in sandblasting equipment
• Cutting blades, knives, saw teeth needing extreme hardness

T15’s unparalleled hardness and wear performance make it the top choice for equipment used in the most severe impaction-abrasion conditions across industrial sectors.

T15 Powder Specifications

Key specifications for T15 cemented carbide powder:

T15 Powder Standards

Standard	Description
ISO 513	Classification and application of cemented carbides
ASTM B276	Cobalt-tungsten carbide powders and hard metals
JIS G 4053	Sintered hard metals
GB/T 4661-2006	Chinese standard for cemented carbides

These define:

• Chemical composition – Co and WC content
• Carbide grain size and powder particle size distribution
• Required mechanical properties
• Acceptable impurities
• Approved production methods like carburization and reduction-diffusion

Meeting these specifications ensures optimal combination of hardness, strength and toughness for maximum wear performance.

T15 Powder Particle Sizes

T15 Powder Particle Size Distribution

Particle Size	Characteristics
0.5-2 microns	Ultrafine grade provides superfinish
0.5-5 microns	Submicron range enhances toughness
3-15 microns	Most commonly used size for optimal properties

• Finer powders increase hardness and finish
• Coarser powders improve fracture strength and impact resistance
• Particle size distribution is optimized based on service conditions
• Both crushed and sintered carbide powders used

Controlling particle size distribution and morphology optimizes final component properties and performance.

T15 Powder Production Method

T15 Powder Production

Method	Details
Carburization and reduction-diffusion	Produces fine spherical powders
Crushing sintered material	Lower cost, irregular angular particles
Milling	Ball milling used for particle size reduction
Spray drying	Granulation and spheroidization process
Degassing	Removes gaseous impurities

• Spherical powder morphology provides high packing density
• Crushed powders have lower production cost
• Milling, spray drying used for particle size control
• Degassing optimizes powder purity and sintered microstructure

Automated, high volume production processes result in consistent feedstock optimized for part performance.

T15 Powder Pricing

T15 Powder Pricing

Factor	Impact on Price
Powder grade	Higher purity grades cost more
Particle size	Ultrafine powder is more expensive
Order quantity	Price decreases with larger volumes
Production method	Complex methods increase cost
Packaging	Special bags or cans increase cost

Indicative Pricing

• T15 spherical powder: $45-60 per kg
• T15 crushed powder: $35-45 per kg
• Large volume pricing can be 20-30% lower

Pricing depends on powder characteristics, production method, order size, packaging and lead time.

T15 Powder Suppliers

T15 Powder Suppliers

Company	Location
Sandvik	Sweden
Kennametal	USA
H.C. Starck	Germany
Jingdong New Material	China
Zhuzhou Cemented Carbide Group	China
Toshiba Materials	Japan

Selection factors:

• Powder grades and particle morphologies
• Production capacity and lead times
• Technical expertise and customer service
• Sampling, testing and quality control procedures
• Pricing levels and payment terms
• Compliance with international material standards

T15 Powder Handling and Storage

T15 Powder Handling

Recommendation	Reason
Use PPE and ventilation	Prevent exposure to fine particles
Avoid ignition sources	Powder can combust if overheated in air
Follow safe protocols	Reduce health and fire hazards
Use inert atmosphere	Prevent oxidation during powder processing
Store sealed containers	Prevent contamination or absorption

Storage Recommendations

• Store in stable containers and ambient temperatures
• Limit exposure to moisture, acids, chlorine
• Avoid cross-contamination from other powders

Proper precautions preserve powder purity and prevent safety issues during handling and storage.

T15 Powder Inspection and Testing

T15 Powder Testing

Test	Details
Chemical analysis	Verifies composition using ICP, EDX, or XRF
Particle size distribution	Laser diffraction or sedimentation analysis
Powder morphology	SEM imaging of particle shape
Apparent density	Measured as per ASTM B212 standard
Tap density	Density measured after mechanical tapping
Hall flow rate	Determines powder flowability

Testing ensures powder meets required chemical composition, particle characteristics, morphology, density specifications, and flowability per relevant standards.

T15 Powder Pros and Cons

Advantages of T15 Powder

• Exceptional hardness, wear resistance, and strength
• Withstands high compression without fracturing
• Good fracture toughness and impact resistance
• Dimensional stability under heavy loads
• Resists deformation at elevated temperatures
• Enables smaller, lighter components

Limitations of T15 Powder

• Difficult to machine after sintering
• Not suitable for dynamic bearing applications
• Relatively brittle behavior
• Oxidation at high temperatures without resistance coatings
• Higher raw material costs than steel powders
• Requires specialized experience for optimal use

Comparison With Tungsten Carbide-Titanium Carbide-Tantalum Carbide

T15 vs WC-TiC-TaC

Parameter	T15	WC-TiC-TaC
Hardness	88-93 HRA	92-96 HRA
Fracture toughness	10-12 MPa.m^1/2	8-9 MPa.m^1/2
Strength	Very high	Extremely high
Cost	Moderate	Very high
Corrosion resistance	Fair	Excellent
Applications	General wear parts	Extreme abrasion and corrosion

• WC-TiC-TaC has slightly higher hardness and strength
• T15 provides significantly better fracture toughness
• WC-TiC-TaC offers excellent corrosion resistance
• T15 is more cost effective
• WC-TiC-TaC for more critical, expensive applications

T15 Powder FAQs

Q: What are the main applications of T15 tungsten carbide cobalt powder?

A: Main applications include mining tools like drill bits, rock crushers, and dredging equipment; construction tools like demolition and pulverizing equipment; dies, drawing parts, extrusion tooling; abrasion resistant components; and general cutting and machining tools.

Q: Why is cobalt used as the binder in tungsten carbide grades?

A: Cobalt provides good corrosion resistance, high strength and toughness, and facilitates liquid phase sintering of the tungsten carbide particles during densification to achieve full density and optimal properties.

Q: What heat treatment is used for T15 tungsten carbide cobalt parts?

A: T15 does not require post-sintering heat treatment. The liquid phase sintering process allows achieving full density and the desired properties during powder consolidation itself.

Q: How is T15 tungsten carbide cobalt powder produced?

A: Main production methods include carburization and reduction-diffusion to make spherical powders or crushing and milling sintered tungsten carbide material into irregular particles. These powders are then blended with cobalt powder in the desired ratio.