Densification study of Tungsten-Nickel alloy

Sradha Suman Khuntia [114MM0256]

Department of Metallurgical and Materials Engineering,

National Institute of Technology, Rourkela

Contents:

1. Tungsten and its features

2. Problems associated with tungsten processing and application

3. Nickel and its features

4. How addition of Ni improve the property of W

5. What is the mechanism associated (give phase diagram also)

6. Mechanical alloying of W-Ni powder

7. Mechanism of alloying

8. Problem associated with densification of W-Ni alloy

9. How green density can be improved through varying milling parameters

10. How improving these parameters could help to increase densification in later stages

1. Objective:

1. Introduction:

Tungsten with its special characteristics of high melting point (3410C) alloyed with other
elements to be used in kinetic energy penetrators, radiation shields, variation damping
devices and electrical contacts in the field of nuclear reactors, space vehicle and other
electrical and electronics applications[9]. Along with high melting point it has high density
(19.3g/cc), very good chemical properties and excellent mechanical strength [5] at elevated
temperature with tensile modulus of 411Gpa at 20C. But in contrary to that it has relative
poor fabricability and high ductile brittle transition temperature. Recently, a lot of researches
have been carried owing to the demand of tungsten application to tailor its mechanical
properties which are centred particularly on increasing its fabricability and decreasing ductile
brittle transition temperature. The mechanical properties of tungsten are known to be
improved by refining their microstructure[13].The mechanical alloying is a fabrication
process known to be a fabrication process of producing ultrafine homogenous powder[14]
alternative to melt spinning and similar rapid quenching techniques[2] to develop crystalline
and amorphous alloys[15]. Among the various solid state synthesis methods high-energy ball
milling is gaining significance owing to its simplicity, ease of controlling production, high
productivity and relatively economic equipment [18]. Also solid state sintering of tungsten
requires a very high temperature around 2700C [16]. Hence to brought down this
temperature and make it fabricable addition of Molybdenum and Nickel is done. Nickel as a
FCC structured transition metal enhances the ductility of tungsten and it also facilitates liquid
phase sintering[3] process at lower temperature as it has melting point of 1455C as
compared to temperature considered for sintering[11].The formation of Nickel based liquid
phase (MoNi intermetallic) also reduces the W/W contiguity factor in alloy[8]. Addition of
Molybdenum (Melting point, 2610C) associated with its high temperature refractory
property and isostructural with tungsten. High specific of Mo than W makes it suitable for
addition in tungsten based alloy to improve thermal property and to produce structure with
less thermal stress [12]. In other words in gives hot strength to the W 80Mo10Ni10 (wt%)
alloy[1]. Mo is also more ductile with superior compressibility as compared to tungsten
[7]results in enhanced green density and compressibility of W80Mo10Ni10 (wt %) alloy.
Tungsten solubility in the alloy increases with increasing Ni content which in turn favours
grain growth during liquid phase sintering. So, higher ductility and lower strength can take
place. But addition of Mo reduces solubility of tungsten during sintering[6] and this leads to
smaller grain size and solid solution strengthening with owes to higher strength and hardness.
Both Mo and Ni also increases the corrosion resistance property.

It is widely recognized that densification is a prerequisite to obtain high mechanical strength.

Present study involves fabrication, characterization and optimization of process parameters

associated with W80Mo10Ni10 (wt %) alloy produced through mechanical alloying.

2. Literature review:

Effect of milling on densification of W-Ni alloy:

Mechanism of alloying in W-Ni alloy:

 Mechanical alloying (MA) of W-Ni powder sample involve loading the blended
elemental or pre alloyed powder particles along with the grinding medium in a vial
and subjecting them to heavy deformation.
During this process the powder particles are repeatedly flattened, cold welded,
fractured, and rewelded. The processes of cold welding and fracturing, as well as their
kinetics and predominance at any stage, depend mostly on the deformation
characteristics of the starting powders.
The effects of a single collision on each type of constituent powder particle (i.e. W
and Ni) are shown in Figure 1.1. The initial impact of the grinding ball causes the
ductile metal powders (Nickel) to flatten and workhardened. The severe plastic
deformation increases the surface-to-volume ratio of the particles and ruptures the
surface films of adsorbed contaminants. The brittle intermetallic powder particles
(Tungsten) get fractured and are refined in size.

Effect of milling parameters on densification of W-Ni alloy:

1. Milling Time:

The densification can promoted by enhancing the solid solubility of W-Ni alloy
powders with increase in milling time as it enhances stress assisted atomic diffusion
during particle refinement and reaches a saturation level at higher milling time. The
extension of solid solubility is attributed to thermodynamic, dynamic or kinetic
factors such as high dislocation density due to severe plastic deformation during
particle refinement and enhanced diffusivity during MA.
However, it should be realized that the level of contamination increases and some
undesirable phases form if the powder is milled for much longer than required,
especially in reactive metals like nickel [a]. Therefore, it is desirable that the powder
be milled just for the required duration and no longer. As a general rule, it may be
appreciated that the times taken to achieve the steady-state conditions are short for
high energy mills and longer for low energy mills.

2. Milling Energy/Speed:
(1) ball milling results in the creation of numerous
new surfaces and thereby a higher energy state of the powder,
which facilitates atomic mobility during the sintering process [24];
(2) ball milling has led to much higher dislocation densities as
demonstrated in Table 1 as well as a mass of vacancy defects. Consequently,
the interactions among the dislocations, vacancies and the
grain boundaries improve sintering densifcation signifcantly by promoting
mass diffusion; (3) An energy increase in the powder system
is produced on account of grain size refnement
The ball milling
treatment exerts a quite positive impact on the consolidation of tungsten,
which can be synergistic to accelerate sintering with the nickel

References
[a] Suryanarayana, C. (1995). Intermetallics 3:153160.