Tungsten carbide is known for its exceptional hardness, making it one of the hardest materials known to man.
The reason for the hardness of tungsten carbide lies in its atomic structure. Tungsten carbide is a compound of tungsten (W) and carbon (C) atoms that form a crystal lattice. The arrangement of these atoms creates a hard and dense structure that forms strong atomic bonds. The covalent bonds between the carbon and tungsten atoms give this material its extreme hardness.
The covalent bonds in tungsten carbide have a high bond strength, which gives the material excellent resistance to deformation and wear. These strong bonds require a large amount of energy to break, making tungsten carbide highly resistant to external forces. Thanks to its strong atomic structure, tungsten carbide can withstand heavy loads, impact and wear while maintaining its integrity and hardness.
Increased hardness.
In addition to its inherent atomic structure, tungsten carbide is often enhanced with a binder metal, usually cobalt (Co), to increase its hardness. The binder metal fills the voids between the tungsten carbide grains, increasing cohesion and strengthening the material. This combination of rigid atomic structure and binder reinforcement results in the exceptional hardness of tungsten carbide.
The unparalleled hardness of tungsten carbide results from its unique atomic structure, which is characterized by strong covalent bonds between tungsten and carbon atoms. This hard structure, combined with the binder reinforcement, gives tungsten carbide exceptional resistance to deformation and abrasion, making it a desirable material for a variety of industrial applications where hardness and durability are essential.
