Influence of hard particle addition and chemical interdiffusion on the properties of hot extruded tool steel compounds

Low alloyed steel bars were co-extruded with pre-sintered tool steel powders with the addition of tungsten carbides (W2C/WC) as hard particles. During the hot extrusion process of these massive and powdery materials, an extrudate is formed consisting of a completely densified wear resistant coating layer and a bulk steel bar as the tough substrate core. This work combines experimental measurements (EPMA) and diffusion calculations (DICTRA™) to investigate the effect of hard particle addition and its dissolution, as well as the formation of M6C carbides on the properties of two different PM tool steel coatings hot extruded with a 1.2714 steel bar. A carburization effect resulting from the W2C hard particles is responsible for an increase of the 1.2344 steel matrix hardness. The mechanical properties of the interface region between coating matrix and substrate are influenced by chemical interdiffusion of carbon and other alloying elements occurring during heat treatment.