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Low-Cost Fabrication of Tungsten-Rhenium Alloys for Friction Stir Welding Applications

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Abstract

Friction stir welding (FSW) of high-melting temperature alloys, such as steel and Inconel, requires tooling that can survive under the applied loads at the elevated temperatures. Tungsten-Rhenium (W-Re) alloys are a suitable candidate for this application; however, the costs typically associated with achieving the required densities and grain structure for the tooling are high due to the lengthy traditional processing required. Further costs are incurred in machining the starting bar stock to the final FSW tooling configuration. An alternate processing method is used in this study to shorten the fabrication time using direct current sintering which rapidly consolidates the starting powders at lower temperatures than used in traditional powder metallurgy. Although this process enables retention of the fine grain size, the sintering time is too short to form the desired single, solid phase. Therefore, the specimens were subjected to a post-consolidation heat treatment to fully solutionize the W matrix. Once the desired density and solid solution phase was verified in coupons, the final processing parameters were used to consolidate a net shape tool for FSW.

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Acknowledgments

The authors (JAS, JT, LF) gratefully acknowledge the funding support provided by NASA-MSFC Cooperative Agreement for Dual Use Technology Development, Grant No. 80MSFC17M0008. All powders and their preparation used in this study were provided by Re Alloys.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering, University of Alabama in Huntsville, 310 Sparkman Drive, Huntsville, AL, 35899, USA

    Judy Schneider, Jordan Terrell & Laura Farris

  2. National Aeronautics and Space Administration, Marshall Space Flight Center, Huntsville, AL, 35812, USA

    Dennis Tucker

  3. Rhenium Alloys, 38683 Taylor Parkway, North Ridgeville, OH, 44035, USA

    Todd Leonhardt

  4. Bundesanstalt für Materialforschung und -prüfung, Unter den Eichen 87, 12205, Berlin, Germany

    Hennig Goldbeck

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  1. Judy Schneider
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Correspondence to Judy Schneider.

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Manuscript submitted June 14, 2019.

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Schneider, J., Terrell, J., Farris, L. et al. Low-Cost Fabrication of Tungsten-Rhenium Alloys for Friction Stir Welding Applications. Metall Mater Trans B 51, 35–44 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11663-019-01726-6

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