Progress in Improving Joint Strength of Brazed Cemented Carbides and Steels

Surface mining causes significant wear damage that affects equipment performance, reliability, and lead to associated downtime costs. To improve the wear resistance of components used in natural resources industries, cemented carbide tiles are joined to engaging surfaces of the components. Joining of cemented carbide to structural steel can be achieved by various processes, among which brazing is commonly used owing to its relatively simple processing and low cost. A significant challenge in brazing cemented carbide tiles to steels is the poor joint strength. This article aims to review the recent progress in improving joint strength of cemented carbide/steel brazing. Recent progress on the key factors, including type of filler metals, evolution of joint microstructure, generation of residual stresses, and process parameters have been closely examined and critically analysed. Future directions of research on brazing cemented carbide tiles to steel in order to improve joint strength have been proposed.