RECLAMATION PROCESS FOR TUNGSTEN CARBIDE/COBALT USING ACID DIGESTION

摘要

Tungsten carbide cobalt and tungsten-containing materials are recycled using a single high-temperature oxidation with standard dilution chemistry. The scrap material is ground, oxidized, and subjected to an acid digestion, preferably in hydrochloric acid. This causes the cobalt to form cobalt chloride while the tungsten remains insoluble. The pH is then increased to about 7.0 which causes the cobalt chloride to form cobalt hydroxide which precipitates out of solution. The cobalt and tungsten are separated and dissolved in a high-pH ammonia solution which can then be spray dried to form a precursor powder for subsequent carburization to form tungsten carbide-cobalt powders.