Room‐Temperature Thermal Conductivity of Cemented Transition‐Metal Carbides

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Abstract
Measurements are reported of the room‐temperature thermal conductivity of cemented multicarbides (WC‐TiCx‐NbCx‐TaCx/Co) and straight tungsten carbide (WC/Co), which are widely used tool materials. The thermal conductivity of cemented titanium carbide was found to be lower than that of cemented tungsten carbide. The difference is attributed to strong phonon and electron scattering from carbon atom vacancies in the nonstoichiometric cubic carbide TiCx; these defects are absent in stoichiometric hexagonal WC. Higher binder contents in tungsten carbide samples lowered the overall thermal conductivity. Scattering of electrons and phonons by C and W atoms in solid solution in the binder phase presumably reduces its thermal conductivity. No dependence on grain size was detected.