Sintering behavior of molybdenum‑copper and tungsten‑copper alloys by using ultrafine molybdenum and tungsten powders as raw materials

Abstract In this paper, high quality Mo-(10–40) wt% Cu and W-(10–40) wt% Cu alloys were prepared by powder metallurgy using the ultrafine molybdenum and tungsten powders as raw materials. The molybdenum powder with the size of 100–200 nm and tungsten powder with the size of 50–100 nm were prepared by a two-step reduction-process composed of an insufficient carbothermal reduction reaction and the following deep reduction reaction by hydrogen. From the experimental results, it was concluded that at the sintering temperature of 1200 °C to 1300 °C, relative densities of the Mo-(10–40) wt% Cu and W-(10–40) wt% Cu sintered blocks can reach >98%, and at the same time, excellent physical and mechanical properties were achieved. Meanwhile, the larger the content of copper in the alloy, the lower the temperature required for densification. At 1300 °C, the relative density, microhardness and thermal conductivity of the Mo-10 wt% Cu and W-10 wt% Cu sintered blocks are 98.83% and 99.36%, 167 HV and 283 HV, 138.38 W·m−1·k−1 and 154.15 W·m−1·k−1, respectively. Whereas, at 1200 °C, the relative density, microhardness and thermal conductivity of the Mo-40 wt% Cu and W-40 wt% Cu sintered block are 99.68% and 98.87%, 150 HV and 207 HV, 138.38 W·m−1·k−1 and 154.15 W·m−1·k−1, respectively. The present method was much more convenient relative to the traditional infiltration method.