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Synthesis of high-strength W–Ta ultrafine-grain composites

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Abstract

Bulk samples of an ultrafine-grained tungsten–tantalum composite alloy have been synthesized by consolidating mechanically milled composite powders. The grain growth during densification is limited due to the submicron-scale layering of the individual metals in the composite particles and the relatively low sintering temperature (1300 °C). The ultrafine microstructure of the high-density (∼99% theoretical density) samples leads to a high yield stress of ∼3 GPa under quasi-static uniaxial compression. A tendency for Ta-rich solid-solution formation during densification was observed, and the high-temperature phase equilibria in the composite powders were examined further using high-energy x-ray diffraction at temperatures up to 1300 °C.

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Acknowledgments

The authors would like to thank Prof. A. Bastrows for assistance with the mechanical testing and Mr. H. Salisbury for assistance with sample preparation. The authors are grateful to Dr. M.H. Lee and Prof. Q. Wei for their useful comments and suggestions. The work at the Ames Laboratory was supported by the United States Department of Energy, Office of Basic Energy Sciences, and by Iowa State University under Contract No. DE-AC02-07CH11358. The high-energy x-ray work at the MUCAT sector of the Advanced Photon Source was supported by the United States Department of Energy, Office of Science, Basic Energy Sciences under Contract No. W-31-109-Eng-38.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Materials and Engineering Physics Program, Ames Laboratory (United States Department of Energy), Ames, Iowa, 50011, USA

    R.T. Ott, X.Y. Yang, D.E. Guyer & D.J. Sordelet

  2. Department of Aerospace Engineering, Iowa State University, Ames, Iowa, 50011, USA

    S. Chauhan

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  1. R.T. Ott
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Correspondence to R.T. Ott.

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Ott, R., Yang, X., Guyer, D. et al. Synthesis of high-strength W–Ta ultrafine-grain composites. Journal of Materials Research 23, 133–139 (2008). https://doi.org/10.1557/JMR.2008.0007

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