YG vs YN Cemented Carbides: Key Differences for Industrial Machining

In the family of cemented carbides, YG and YN are two widely used materials with distinct characteristics. Both use tungsten carbide (WC) as the hard phase, but their binders differ entirely: YG uses cobalt (Co) as the binder, while YN uses nickel (Ni). This core compositional difference creates clear contrasts in toughness, corrosion resistance, high-temperature stability, and suitability for industrial machining. YG cemented carbide focuses on "toughness and general wear resistance," making it ideal for conventional machining in medium-to-high impact, non-corrosive environments. YN cemented carbide emphasizes "corrosion resistance and high-temperature stability," suited for specialized machining in strong-corrosion, medium-to-high temperature settings. This article breaks down their key differences across four dimensions—compositional definitions, core properties, machining suitability, and typical applications—to help you select the right material for industrial machining, avoiding machining failures or cost waste from incorrect material choices.

1. First, Understand the Basics: Core Definitions and Compositional Differences

To grasp their differences, you must first clarify their "identity markers"—composition is the root of performance, and variations in binders and their content directly affect subsequent machining suitability.

1.1 YG Cemented Carbide: WC-Co System, "Toughness-Type" Carbide

• Core Composition: Tungsten carbide (WC) as the hard phase, cobalt (Co) as the binder. Some grades add small amounts of titanium carbide (TiC) or tantalum carbide (TaC) to optimize performance. Common grades include YG6, YG8, and YG15 (the number represents Co content—e.g., YG6 contains 6% Co).
• Structural Features: As a binder, Co wraps around WC particles more effectively, forming a "more tough" microstructure. Higher Co content improves toughness but slightly reduces hardness (e.g., toughness: YG15 > YG8 > YG6; hardness: the opposite).
• Industrial Position: The most versatile type of cemented carbide, covering most conventional machining scenarios with "non-corrosive, medium-to-high impact" conditions. It offers high cost-effectiveness and mature processing technology.

1.2 YN Cemented Carbide: WC-Ni System, "Corrosion-Resistant-Type" Carbide

• Core Composition: Tungsten carbide (WC) as the hard phase, nickel (Ni) as the binder. Some high-end grades add 5%-10% titanium carbide (TiC) or niobium carbide (NbC) to enhance high-temperature hardness. Common grades include YN6, YN8, and YN10 (the number represents Ni content—e.g., YN8 contains 8% Ni).
• Structural Features: Ni has far better chemical stability than Co, forming a "corrosion-resistant protective layer" on the surface of WC particles. However, Ni’s bonding strength is slightly lower than Co, so YN generally has lower toughness than YG with the same binder content (e.g., toughness of YN8 ≈ YG6, but hardness of YN8 is 5%-8% higher than YG6).
• Industrial Position: A replacement for YG in corrosive environments, designed for specialized machining scenarios involving "strong corrosion and medium-to-high temperatures." It costs slightly more than YG but prevents machining failures caused by corrosion.

2. Core Performance Comparison: 6 Key Dimensions, Clear Differences

In industrial machining, a material’s "hardness, toughness, and corrosion resistance" directly determine machining results and service life. The table below compares the core performance differences between YG and YN from a practical application perspective:

3. Industrial Machining Suitability: Which Scenarios Call for YG, and Which for YN?

Performance differences ultimately translate to "machining scenario suitability." Below, we clarify the applicable boundaries of YG and YN for common industrial machining scenarios (cutting, wear-resistant part manufacturing, specialized machining):

3.1 YG Cemented Carbide: Suitable for "Conventional, Medium-to-High Impact" Machining

YG’s core advantage lies in "toughness and general wear resistance," making it suitable for non-corrosive machining with moderate impact. It is the most "versatile" cemented carbide in industry.

• Cutting Machining Suitability:

  • Workpiece Materials: Cast iron, non-ferrous metals (copper, aluminum), non-metallic materials (wood, plastic). These materials generate moderate impact during cutting and involve no strong corrosion. YG’s toughness prevents edge chipping.
  • Machining Methods: Rough turning, rough milling, drilling. Heavy cutting during roughing generates impact—YG’s chipping resistance is 30% higher than YN. For example, when turning gray cast iron (HT200), YG8 tools last 2-3 times longer than YN8.

• Wear-Resistant Part Manufacturing Suitability:

  • Applications: Mine ball mill liners, general sandblasting nozzles, corrugated paper slitting knives. These parts must withstand particle impact—YG’s toughness resists impact loads during wear, preventing breakage. For example, YG15 mine balls have a service life of 1-2 years.

• Unsuitable Scenarios: Strong-corrosion environments (e.g., cutting chemical slurries), medium-to-high temperature machining (e.g., hot materials above 800°C). Co is easily corroded and softens at high temperatures, leading to machining failure.

3.2 YN Cemented Carbide: Suitable for "Strong-Corrosion, Medium-to-High Temperature" Specialized Machining

YN’s core advantage is "corrosion resistance and high-temperature stability," making it suitable for specialized machining that YG cannot handle. Despite its lower toughness, it ensures machining precision and service life in special environments.

• Cutting Machining Suitability:

  • Workpiece Materials: Stainless steel (304/316), corrosion-resistant alloys for chemical use (Hastelloy), castings with acids/alkalis. These materials may come into contact with corrosive media during machining (e.g., chlorine-containing coolants for stainless steel cutting). YN’s corrosion resistance prevents edge rust.
  • Machining Methods: Finish turning, finish milling, precision boring. Light cutting during finishing generates minimal impact—YN’s high hardness maintains edge sharpness, achieving a surface roughness of Ra ≤ 0.8μm (30% lower than YG-machined surfaces).

• Wear-Resistant Part Manufacturing Suitability:

  • Applications: Mechanical seal rings for chemical pumps, nozzles in seawater environments, wear-resistant liners for desulfurization equipment. These parts are exposed to acids/alkalis or salt spray long-term—YN’s corrosion resistance extends service life. For example, YN10 chemical seal rings last 4-5 times longer than YG8 in 5% sulfuric acid slurry.

• Unsuitable Scenarios: High-impact machining (e.g., rough crushing, heavy drilling), conventional roughing without corrosion. Low toughness leads to easy chipping, and high costs offer no advantages—YG is a more economical choice.

4. Clarifying Common Misconceptions: Avoid Material Mistakes in Machining

In practical industrial applications, many people choose the wrong material (YG or YN) due to "confused performance priorities." Below are 3 common misconceptions to clarify:

4.1 Misconception 1: "YN has higher hardness than YG, so it is better for all machining scenarios."

Fact: Hardness ≠ machining suitability. YN’s high hardness only offers advantages in "corrosive/high-temperature" scenarios; it performs worse in high-impact scenarios. For example, a factory used YN8 for rough milling of cast iron—due to high impact, the edge chipped within 1 hour. Switching to YG8 allowed the edge to last 4 hours. Although surface roughness was slightly higher, it met roughing requirements at a lower cost.

4.2 Misconception 2: "YN can completely replace YG, just at a slightly higher cost."

Fact: YN’s "replacement range is limited"—it can only replace YG in corrosive/high-temperature scenarios, not in medium-to-high impact scenarios. For example, if YN replaces YG for wear-resistant hammerheads in mine crushing, the hammerheads break within 1 week due to low toughness. In contrast, YG15 hammerheads last 2 months. The service life gap is huge, and YN’s higher cost makes it completely uneconomical.

4.3 Misconception 3: "YG has poor corrosion resistance and cannot be used in any machining scenario involving liquids."

Fact: YG is resistant to "weak corrosion" and works well with ordinary water-based coolants (pH 6-9); it is only unsuitable for strong-corrosion scenarios. For example, YG6 milling tools used for aluminum alloy machining with ordinary emulsions (pH 8) have a service life of 800 workpieces. Switching to YN8 offers better corrosion resistance but 30% higher costs with no performance improvement—this is over-specification.

5. Selection Logic: 3 Quick Steps to Choose Between YG and YN

No complex calculations are needed. Follow these 3 steps to match materials to machining scenarios, ideal for quick decision-making by production or procurement teams:

1. Determine "Presence of Corrosion/High Temperature" – Core Screening Criterion

   • If the machining environment involves strong acids/alkalis, salt spray, corrosive coolants, or machining temperatures exceed 800°C: Choose YN cemented carbide (prioritize corrosion/high-temperature resistance).
   • If the machining environment is ordinary air or neutral water-based coolants with temperatures ≤ 700°C: Choose YG cemented carbide (higher cost-effectiveness).

2. Determine "Machining Impact Intensity" – Select Specific Grades

   • High impact (roughing, crushing, heavy drilling): Choose YG with high Co content (e.g., YG12, YG15) for sufficient toughness.
   • Medium impact (semi-finishing, conventional cutting): Choose YG with medium Co content (e.g., YG8, YG10) to balance wear resistance and toughness.
   • Low impact (finishing, precision parts): Choose low-Co YG (e.g., YG6) if no corrosion is present; choose YN (e.g., YN8, YN10) if corrosion is present.

3. Determine "Cost Sensitivity" – Balance Performance and Budget

   • Cost-sensitive with no special requirements: Prioritize YG (30%-50% cheaper than YN with similar performance).
   • Cost-insensitive with a need for long service life in special environments: Choose YN (avoids downtime losses from frequent tool changes due to corrosion/high temperatures).

6. Conclusion: No "Better" Material, Only "Scenario-Suitable" Material

The difference between YG and YN cemented carbides lies essentially in "performance bias caused by binder differences"—YG is a "general-purpose option," covering conventional machining with toughness and cost-effectiveness; YN is a "specialized option," tackling special scenarios with corrosion resistance and high-temperature stability. For professionals in the tungsten carbide industry, there’s no need to debate "which is more advanced" when recommending materials. Instead, first understand the customer’s "machining environment (corrosion/high temperature?), impact intensity, and precision requirements," then match the material—this is the true way to help customers reduce costs and improve efficiency.

If your enterprise faces issues like "tool chipping" or "wear-resistant part corrosion failure" during machining, or is unsure whether to choose YG or YN for a specific scenario, feel free to reach out. We can provide material recommendations and sample testing support based on your machining parameters (material, method, environment).