Fabrication and properties of mechanically alloyed oxide-dispersed tungsten heavy alloys

The microstructures and mechanical properties of mechanically alloyed oxide-dispersed tungsten heavy alloys were investigated. Elemental powders of tungsten, nickel, and iron of a composition corresponding to 93W–5.6Ni–1.4Fe (wt.%) were mechanically alloyed with additional Y2O3 powders in a tumbler ball mill for 72 h. Mechanically alloyed powders were solid-state sintered at 1300 °C for 1 h followed by secondary liquid-phase sintering at 1470 °C for a sintering time ranging from 4 to 90 min. Liquid-phase sintering of oxide-dispersed tungsten heavy alloys at 1485 °C for 1 h was also carried out. Oxide-dispersed tungsten heavy alloys containing 0.1–5 wt.% Y2O3 can be obtained and oxide dispersoids effectively inhibit the coarsening of tungsten particles during sintering. A high temperature compression test of tungsten heavy alloys at 800 °C showed that the strength of mechanically alloyed oxide-dispersed tungsten heavy alloys increased with the oxide content. In split-Hopkinson bar tests at a strain rate of 104 s−1, the oxide-dispersed tungsten heavy alloy showed a tendency for premature failure during localized shear deformation due to debonding at the oxide/matrix interfaces.