Tungsten Scraps and Graphite Foil Waste as Precursors for Manufacturing W–C–Co Materials: Carbidization of Tungsten Compounds in Presence of Graphene Oxides

Abstract. W–C–Co materials were obtained from tungsten scraps and graphite foil waste (GFWs). We converted metallic tungsten-containing scrap (spirals, plates, wires, rods, powders, etc.) into poly(peroxytungstic acid) (PPTA) using a relatively inexpensive processing technology. Graphene oxide (GO) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) were synthesized from GFWs: GO(graflex) and rGO(graflex). The interaction of these products led to GO(graflex)–PPTA and GO(graflex)–PPTA–Co(CH 3 COO) 2 complexes, which were converted into rGO(graflex)–WO x and rGO(graflex)–WO x –CoO composites through vacuum-thermal treatment. At 900–1100°C in a hydrogen atmosphere, the phases WC, W₂C, and Co₃W₃C₃ were formed. Under identical conditions, the sucrose-containing PPTA–sucrose–cobalt acetate composite yielded only the WC–Co powder composite.