Surface modification of tungsten carbide by electrical discharge coating (EDC) using a titanium powder suspension

Surface modification by a titanium coating layer onto a tungsten carbide surface by electrical discharge coating (EDC) was studied by considering a titanium coating modification as well as the completeness of the tungsten carbide surface. This was carried out by electrical discharge machining (EDM). The tungsten carbide material was produced using a fluid dielectric oil, which was mixed with titanium powder. The current and duty cycles were varied resulting in a change in the titanium coating layer thickness. Also, an analysis of the chemical composition using energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) revealed that a titanium coating layer was formed causing the hardness of the titanium surface to be close to that of tungsten carbide. The completeness of the surface was evaluated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and a small number of microcracks were found on the surface since the microcracks were filled and substituted by titanium powder and carbon (a hydrocarbon) that decomposed from the dielectric that acted as a combiner (TiC). Also, the high concentration of carbon increased the amount of Ti and C combination and TiC was formed, which enhanced the surface hardness of the coated layer to 1750 HV. The surface roughness of the coated layer decreased and this reduced the formation of microcracks on the surface workpiece.