Cr3C2
Cr3C2 (chromium carbide) is a corrosion- and oxidation-resistant carbide most often supplied as thermal-spray powder blended with a NiCr binder (75-25 and 80-20 NiCr HVOF grades), as pure carbide, or as a sintered cermet.
Reference datasheet — Cr3C2 is not in the instant-quote catalog. Upload your part and an engineer will quote it in this grade or suggest the closest stocked equivalent.
Values for the PURE condition
Cr3C2 tempers and conditions
Cr3C2 is supplied in 4 conditions, soft to hard. PURE is the default FabDigit quotes; the values on this page are for it.
Compare all 4 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cr3C2–20 % NiCr, HVOF-sprayed coating | Higher carbide fraction for more abrasive/erosive service where slightly lower coating toughness is acceptable. | 110 | 0.15 | 950 HV | 11 W/m·K | |
Cr3C2–25 % NiCr (80/20 NiCr binder), HVOF-sprayed coating | The standard high-temperature wear/erosion coating — best toughness and thermal-shock tolerance of the blends, for boiler tubes, valves and turbine hardware to ~870 °C. | 120 | 0.2 | 900 HV | 10 W/m·K | |
PUREDefault Cr3C2 pure | Choose for maximum hardness and oxidation resistance: spray powder feedstock, WC-Co grain inhibitor, hot-pressed test bodies. | 200 | 0 | 1,400 HV | 19 W/m·K | |
Cr3C2–NiCr sintered cermet | Pick when a bulk corrosion/wear part (seal ring, nozzle, gauge) is needed rather than a coating — tougher and denser than monolithic Cr3C2. | 1,200 HV | 17 W/m·K |
What is Cr3C2?
Cr3C2 (chromium carbide) is a corrosion- and oxidation-resistant carbide most often supplied as thermal-spray powder blended with a NiCr binder (75-25 and 80-20 NiCr HVOF grades), as pure carbide, or as a sintered cermet. It is chosen for high-temperature wear and erosion protection where WC-Co loses its binder, with useful service to 1000 °C, 373 GPa modulus and a corrosion rating of 85. Density is 6.68 g/cm³ and thermal conductivity 19 W/m·K; below about 450 °C, WC-Co coatings are harder and cheaper. Cr3C2 has a density of 6.68 g/cm³ (0.241 lb/in³), heavier than 70% of ceramic grades. It melts at 1,810°C (3,290 °F). Cr3C2 has a tensile strength of 200 MPa (29 ksi), stronger than 60% of ceramic grades. Elongation at break is 0% and the elastic modulus is 373 GPa (54.1 Msi).
What is Cr3C2 used for?
- thermal spray coatings
- hot-gas erosion shields
- boiler tube protection
- wear-resistant hardfacing
- valve seat coatings
Cr3C2 properties
Typical room-temperature values for Cr3C2-PURE; bars are the position among ceramic grades.
Physical3
Cr3C2 has a density of 6.68 g/cm³ (0.241 lb/in³), heavier than 70% of ceramic grades. It melts at 1,810°C (3,290 °F).
Mechanical13
Cr3C2 has a tensile strength of 200 MPa (29 ksi), stronger than 60% of ceramic grades. Elongation at break is 0% and the elastic modulus is 373 GPa (54.1 Msi).
Thermal5
Cr3C2 is rated for continuous service to 1,000°C (1,832 °F). It conducts heat at 19 W/m·K (11 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 56% of ceramic grades. Thermal expansion is 10.3 µm/m·K (5.72 µin/in·°F).
Electrical2
Cr3C2 has an electrical resistivity of 7.5×10⁻⁷ Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental2
Corrosion resistance is excellent (85/100), better than 69% of ceramic grades.
Sustainability3
Producing a kilogram of Cr3C2 takes about 95 MJ of energy and emits 7.5 kg of CO₂ — less than 57% of ceramic grades. Typical recycled content is 5%.
Manufacturability3
Cr3C2's machinability is not recommended (4/100, worse than 85% of ceramic grades).
Common Calculations4
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Certified mill or lot data ships with every FabDigit order on request.
Strength versus weight in the ceramic family
Yield strength against density for every ceramic grade FabDigit runs. Cr3C2 is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with Cr3C2
Is Cr3C2 easy to machine?
Bulk carbide and sprayed coatings are finished only by diamond grinding, lapping or EDM (the material is electrically conductive, so wire/sinker EDM works well).
Can Cr3C2 be welded?
Not weldable; coatings are applied by HVOF/HVAF/plasma spray and repaired by masking and re-spraying, PTA overlays use NiCr-Cr3C2 composite rod.
Can Cr3C2 be formed, bent or molded?
Powder route only — press-and-sinter or hot press/SPS at 1400–1800 °C; spray powders are made by agglomeration-sintering or blending with 20–25 % NiCr.
Cr3C2 chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| Cstoichiometric total carbon; free carbon typically <0.3 % | 13 – 13.6 | 13.3 |
| Fetypical powder impurity | ≤ 0.5 | 0.2 |
| Osurface oxygen on fine powders | ≤ 0.5 | 0.2 |
| Cr≈86.7 wt % nominal | balance |
What surface finishes work on Cr3C2?
Coatings are ground and superfinished to Ra <0.2 µm for seal/rod service; sealing with epoxy or Cr-free sealants improves corrosion barrier at low temperature.
How much does Cr3C2 cost?
Cr3C2 is a high-cost ceramic ($$$$), pricier than about 78% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Cr3C2 — frequently asked
What is Cr3C2 used for?
Cr3C2 is typically used for thermal spray coatings, hot-gas erosion shields, boiler tube protection, wear-resistant hardfacing and valve seat coatings. In short: hot-wear thermal spray standard; oxidation-resistant to 1000 °C; tougher NiCr-bonded cermet.
What is the tensile strength of Cr3C2?
Cr3C2 has a typical tensile strength of 200 MPa (29 ksi) — stronger than 60% of ceramic grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 4 listed tempers.
Is Cr3C2 easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated not recommended (4/100, worse than 85% of ceramic grades). Bulk carbide and sprayed coatings are finished only by diamond grinding, lapping or EDM (the material is electrically conductive, so wire/sinker EDM works well).
Can Cr3C2 be welded?
Not weldable; coatings are applied by HVOF/HVAF/plasma spray and repaired by masking and re-spraying, PTA overlays use NiCr-Cr3C2 composite rod.
What surface finishes work on Cr3C2?
Coatings are ground and superfinished to Ra <0.2 µm for seal/rod service; sealing with epoxy or Cr-free sealants improves corrosion barrier at low temperature.
Can Cr3C2 be formed, bent or molded?
Powder route only — press-and-sinter or hot press/SPS at 1400–1800 °C; spray powders are made by agglomeration-sintering or blending with 20–25 % NiCr.
What is the maximum service temperature of Cr3C2?
Cr3C2 is rated for continuous use to about 1,000°C (1,832 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
How much does Cr3C2 cost?
Cr3C2 is a high-cost ceramic ($$$$), pricier than about 78% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Sources
- ASM Handbook Vol. 4 / Engineered Materials Handbook — Ceramics and Glasses — ASM International (1991)
- Handbook of Refractory Carbides and Nitrides — Noyes/Elsevier (Pierson) (1996)
- Cr3C2-NiCr HVOF thermal spray powder datasheets — Oerlikon Metco / Praxair Surface Technologies (2022)
- GB/T 5314 / GB/T 26050 powder and thermal-spray material test practice — SAC (2020)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison; hardness values on non-Brinell scales are converted approximately for charting only. Manufacturability limits are FabDigit quote-engine defaults and may be relaxed by engineering review. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.