Patent ID: 7625542

Claim:
A method of making a tungsten carbide powder, comprising: ball milling a reaction mixture comprising a tungsten source and a solid carbon source; heating a reaction mixture at a first temperature of about 900° C. to 950° C. in a non-reducing atmosphere to form a reaction product comprising fully carburized tungsten carbide and an excess of free solid carbon; wherein the reaction product has a total carbon content of greater than 6.13 wt %; and removing the excess carbon from the reaction product using a controlled removal process to form a tungsten carbide powder having a carbon content of about 6.08 wt % to about 6.16 wt %; wherein a molar ratio of carbon to tungsten in the reaction mixture is greater than or equal to about 3.45 and wherein the controlled removal process is performed at a temperature of about 600° C. to about 1200° C.