Characterization of in-situ carbide coating of tungsten alloy

Tungsten alloys, produced by liquid phase sintering and subsequent swaging, are used commonly for engineering and defense applications. In this investigation the morphology of carburized coating on a series of specimens of tungsten alloy has been examined using electron metallographic and microanalytical techniques. The samples were pack carburized at 850 °C for 30 and 60 min to determine the surface properties. The role of compositional changes, formation of tungsten and iron carbides and the interfacial structure of the carburized samples were examined. It is found that the surface properties of the tungsten alloy have been improved by the formation of these carbides in the carburized specimens as compared with the as-received specimen.