Abstract: A novel hard material with various (W_0.5Al_0.5)C grain shapes was successfully prepared through mechanical alloying and in-situ high-pressure sintering process. X-ray diffraction apparatus and scanning electron microscopy were used to characterize the phase and the microstructures of the samples. The novel hard materials with ``fibrous", ``rounded" and ``plate-like" grains, which do not contain sharp edges, have the improved mechanical properties. The bulk boundless (W_0.5Al_0.5)C hard material with various (W_0.5Al_0.5)C grain shapes possesses good mechanical properties and light weight. The formation mechanism for the non-equilibrium (W_0.5Al_0.5)C grains during in-situ high-pressure sintering is also discussed.

Key words: Novel hard material, Controlled (W_0.5Al_0.5)C grain, In-situ high-pressure sintering, Grain growth mechanism