In the “material universe” of industrial manufacturing, titanium carbide (TiC), silicon carbide (SiC), and cemented carbide (typically based on tungsten carbide – cobalt, etc.) are three shining “star materials”. With their unique properties, they play pivotal roles in various fields. Today, we’ll take an in – depth look at the differences in properties among these three materials and the scenarios where they excel!
I. A Head – to – Head Comparison of Material Properties
| Material Type | Hardness (Reference Value) | Density (g/cm³) | Wear Resistance | High – Temperature Resistance | Chemical Stability | Toughness |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Titanium Carbide (TiC) | 2800 – 3200HV | 4.9 – 5.3 | Excellent (dominated by hard phases) | Stable at ≈1400℃ | Resistant to acids and alkalis (except strong oxidizing acids) | Relatively low (brittleness is more prominent) |
| Silicon Carbide (SiC) | 2500 – 3000HV (for SiC ceramics) | 3.1 – 3.2 | Outstanding (bolstered by covalent bond structure) | Stable at ≈1600℃ (in ceramic state) | Extremely strong (resistant to most chemical media) | Moderate (brittle in ceramic state; single crystals have toughness) |
| Cemented Carbide (WC – Co as an example) | 1200 – 1800HV | 13 – 15 (for WC – Co series) | Exceptional (WC hard phases + Co binder) | ≈800 – 1000℃ (depends on Co content) | Resistant to acids, alkalis, and abrasive wear | Relatively good (Co binder phase enhances toughness) |
Property Breakdown:
- Titanium Carbide (TiC): Its hardness is close to that of diamond, making it a member of the super – hard material family. Its high density allows for precise positioning in precision tools that require “weighting”. However, it has high brittleness and is prone to chipping under impact, so it is more suitable for static, low – impact cutting/wear – resistant scenarios. For example, it is often used as a coating on tools. The TiC coating is super – hard and wear – resistant, like putting “protective armor” on high – speed steel and cemented carbide tools. When cutting stainless steel and alloy steel, it can withstand high temperatures and reduce wear, significantly extending tool life. For instance, in the coating of finishing milling cutters, it enables fast and stable cutting.
- Silicon Carbide (SiC): A “top performer in high – temperature resistance”! It can maintain stable performance above 1600℃. In the ceramic state, its chemical stability is remarkable and it hardly reacts with acids and alkalis (except for a few like hydrofluoric acid). However, brittleness is a common issue for ceramic materials. Nevertheless, single – crystal silicon carbide (such as 4H – SiC) has improved toughness and is making a comeback in semiconductors and high – frequency devices. For example, SiC – based ceramic tools are “top students” among ceramic tools. They have high – temperature resistance and chemical stability. When cutting high – hardness alloys (such as nickel – based alloys) and brittle materials (such as cast iron), they are not prone to tool sticking and have slow wear. However, due to brittleness, they are more suitable for finishing with less interrupted cutting and high precision.
- Cemented Carbide (WC – Co): A “top – tier player in the cutting field”! From lathe tools to CNC milling cutters, from milling steel to drilling stone, it can be found everywhere. Cemented carbide with low Co content (such as YG3X) is suitable for finishing, while that with high Co content (such as YG8) has good impact resistance and can handle rough machining with ease. The WC hard phases are responsible for “withstanding” wear, and the Co binder acts like “glue” to hold the WC particles together, maintaining both hardness and toughness. Although its high – temperature resistance is not as good as the first two, its balanced overall performance makes it suitable for a vast range of scenarios from cutting to wear – resistant components.
II. Application Fields in Full Swing
1. Cutting Tool Field
- Titanium Carbide (TiC): Often serves as a coating on tools! The super – hard and wear – resistant TiC coating puts “protective armor” on high – speed steel and cemented carbide tools. When cutting stainless steel and alloy steel, it can withstand high temperatures and reduce wear, significantly extending tool life. For example, in the coating of finishing milling cutters, it enables fast and stable cutting.
- Silicon Carbide (SiC): A “top student” among ceramic tools! SiC – based ceramic tools have high – temperature resistance and chemical stability. When cutting high – hardness alloys (such as nickel – based alloys) and brittle materials (such as cast iron), they are not prone to tool sticking and have slow wear. However, due to brittleness, they are more suitable for finishing with less interrupted cutting and high precision.
- Cemented Carbide (WC – Co): A “top – tier player in the cutting field”! From lathe tools to CNC milling cutters, from milling steel to drilling stone, it can be found everywhere. Cemented carbide with low Co content (such as YG3X) is suitable for finishing, while that with high Co content (such as YG8) has good impact resistance and can handle rough machining with ease.
2. Wear – Resistant Component Field
- Titanium Carbide (TiC): Acts as a “wear – resistant champion” in precision molds! For example, in powder metallurgy molds, when pressing metal powder, TiC inserts are wear – resistant and have high precision, ensuring that the pressed parts have accurate dimensions and good surfaces, and are not prone to “malfunction” during mass production.
- Silicon Carbide (SiC): Endowed with “double buffs” of wear resistance and high – temperature resistance! Rollers and bearings in high – temperature furnaces made of SiC ceramics do not soften or wear even above 1000℃. Also, nozzles in sandblasting equipment made of SiC can withstand the impact of sand particles, and their service life is several times longer than that of ordinary steel nozzles.
- Cemented Carbide (WC – Co): A “versatile wear – resistant expert”! Cemented carbide teeth in mine drill bits can crush rocks without damage; cemented carbide cutters on shield machine tools can withstand soil and sandstone, and can “keep their composure” even after tunneling thousands of meters. Even the eccentric wheels in mobile phone vibration motors rely on cemented carbide for wear resistance to ensure stable vibration.
3. Electronics/Semiconductor Field
- Titanium Carbide (TiC): Appears in some electronic components that require high – temperature and high wear resistance! For example, in the electrodes of high – power electron tubes, TiC has high – temperature resistance, good electrical conductivity, and wear resistance, enabling stable operation in high – temperature environments and ensuring electronic signal transmission.
- Silicon Carbide (SiC): A “new favorite in semiconductors”! SiC semiconductor devices (such as SiC power modules) have excellent high – frequency, high – voltage, and high – temperature performance. When used in electric vehicles and photovoltaic inverters, they can significantly improve efficiency and reduce volume. Also, SiC wafers are the “foundation” for manufacturing high – frequency and high – temperature chips, and are highly anticipated in 5G base stations and avionics.
- Cemented Carbide (WC – Co): A “precision tool” in electronic processing! Cemented carbide drills for PCB drilling can have a diameter as small as 0.1mm and can drill precisely without breaking easily. Cemented carbide inserts in chip packaging molds have high precision and wear resistance, ensuring accurate and stable packaging of chip pins.
III. How to Choose?
- For extreme hardness and precise wear resistance → Choose titanium carbide (TiC)! For example, in precision mold coatings and super – hard tool coatings, it can “withstand” wear and maintain precision.
- For high – temperature resistance, chemical stability, or working on semiconductors/high – frequency devices → Choose silicon carbide (SiC)! It is indispensable for high – temperature furnace components and SiC power chips.
- For balanced overall performance, covering everything from cutting to wear – resistant applications → Choose cemented carbide (WC – Co)! It is a “versatile player” covering tools, drills, and wear – resistant parts.