Tool steel containing a certain amount of cobalt can significantly improve the wear resistance and cutting performance of the steel. Cobalt combines the other metal carbide grains in the alloy composition, giving the alloy higher toughness and reducing its sensitivity to impact. Welding this alloy on the surface of the part can increase the life of the part by 3-7 times. Stellite cemented carbide containing more than 50% cobalt will not lose its original hardness even when heated to 1000°C.
The superiority of cobalt-based alloys is revealed when the temperature exceeds 1038°C. They are particularly suitable for use in high-efficiency high-temperature engines and turbines, and are therefore widely used in the aerospace and modern military fields. Cobalt-based alloys containing 20%-27% chromium and used as structural materials in aero-engines can achieve high oxidation resistance without the use of any protective coatings. Turbine engines in the heat medium of the heating chamber of nuclear reactors can operate continuously for more than a year without maintenance.
