Towards understanding of high-temperature deformation mechanisms in Cr-doped hard metals by neutron scattering

Purpose and goal

Within the project, Sandvik Coromant teams up with Scatterin AB, Chalmers and KTH with the aim to contribute to the understanding of the microstructural mechanisms behind enhanced creep resistance in Cr-doped cemented carbides. This will be done by performing in-situ small angle neutron scattering (SANS) and neutron diffraction (ND) experiments during mimicked service conditions for cemented carbide tools, we will be able to probe and correlate nano- and microstructural evolution as well as micromechanics response with the mechanical properties.

Expected results and effects

In-situ SANS experiments will be complemented by in-situ ND experiments, allowing us to analyze, for example, stress partitioning between phases, lamella and void generation in mimicked metal cutting service conditions. We believe that this project can contribute significantly to understanding the rate controlling mechanisms behind plastic deformation in metal cutting inserts and contribute to new solutions in areas where plastic deformation resistance is the product limiting factor. It can thereby strengthen the innovation capacity of Sandvik Coromant.

Planned approach and implementation

The project consortium plans to use SANS2d beamline at ISIS and STRESS-SPEC beamline at MLZ for SANS and ND experiments, respectively. The project will start with the production of samples with a size suitable for the neutron scattering experiments. The produced and in-situ measured samples will be characterized in the lab by e.g. scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and atom probe tomography (APT) to aid the interpretation and validation of neutron scattering data.