In this study, a novel composite was fabricated by adding the Hafnium diboride (HfB2) to conventional WC-Co cemented carbides to enhance the high-temperature properties while retaining the intrinsic high hardness. Using spark plasma sintering, high density (up to 99.4%) WC-6Co-(1, 2.5, 4, and 5.5 wt. %) HfB2 composites were consolidated at 1300℃ (100℃/min) under 60 MPa pressure. The microstructural evolution, oxidation layer, and phase constitution of WC-Co-HfB2 were investigated in the distribution of WC grain and solid solution phases by X-ray diffraction and FE-SEM. The WC-Co-HfB2 composite exhibited improved mechanical properties (approximately 2,180.7 kg/mm2) than those of conventional WC-Co cemented carbides. The high strength of the fabricated composites was caused by the fine-grade HfB2 precipitate and the solid solution, which enabled the tailoring of mechanical properties.

WC-Co cemented carbides were consolidated using spark plasma sintering in the temperature 1400°C with transition metal carbides addition. The densification depended on exponentially as a function of sintering exponent. Moreover, the secondary (M, W)Cx phases were formed at the grain boundaries of WC basal facet. Corresponded, to increase the basal facets lead to the plastic deformation and oriented grain growth. A higher hardness was correlated with their grain size and lattice strain. We suggest that this is due to the formation energy of (M, W)Cx attributed to inhibit the grain growth and separates the WC/Co interface.