利用离子能量为300 keV, 束流密度为300 A/cm², 功率密度为10⁸ W/cm², 脉冲宽度为70 ns的强流脉冲离子束(HIPIB)对用于核主泵轴密封的WC-Ni硬质合金材料进行了表面辐照处理, 辐照次数分别为 1, 5, 10次. 利用XRD, SEM和EPMA研究了HIPIB辐照前后WC--Ni硬质合金表层相组成、表面形貌和元素分布的变化, 借助显微硬度计和环--块式磨损仪测试了辐照前后硬质合金表层的性能. 结果表明, HIPIB辐照硬质合金表层发生由六方碳化物WC向fcc碳化物β-WC_1-x转变, 转变量随着辐照次数的增加而增加. HIPIB辐照引发硬质合金表层快速重熔和Ni黏结相的择优烧蚀, 形成了许多丘状表面凸起, 且随辐照次数的增加, 丘状凸起的尺寸增大, 当辐照次数增加至10次, 形成了网状“峰--谷”起伏结构的重熔烧蚀表面形貌, 且具有微区光滑致密化特征. 由于HIPIB辐照应力波的显著作用, 辐照后硬质合金表层沿深度方向显著硬化, 10次辐照后硬化层深度可达160 μm, 表面摩擦系数降低38\%, 耐磨性提高近3倍.

The WC-Ni cemented carbide, as a promising seal component material in nuclear power plant, was treated by high-intensity pulsed ion beam (HIPIB) with ion energy of 300 keV, ion current density of 300 A/cm², i.e., at a power density of 10⁸ W/cm² and at a pulse duration of 70 ns up to 10 shots. The phase composition, surface morphology and element distribution in the surface of WC-Ni cemented carbide before and after HIPIB irradiation were investigated by using XRD, SEM and EPMA, and its properties were characterized by microhardness measurement and block-on-ring wear testing. It is found that the phase transformation from hexagonal WC to cubic β-WC_1-x underwent in the irradiated surface layer, and the amount of β-WC_1-x phase increased with increasing shot number. The surface remelting and selective ablation of the nickel binder phase resulted in the formation of hilly topography with numerous protrusions on the irradiated surfaces, and the dimension of protrusions expanded under repetitive irradiation. As increasing the irradiation up to 10 shots, a network of hill-valleys was finally produced on the irradiated surfaces but the surface is smoothed and densified in a micro scale. A hardened depth of 160 μm was obtained, which is attributable to the strong stress wave induced during the irradiation. As a result, the wear resistance of WC-Ni cemented carbides is considerably improved by a factor of 3 along with a 38% reduction in the friction coefficient after 10-shot irradiation.