Microstructure and properties of W-Ta alloys fabricated by hot-press sintering and high energy rate forging

doi:10.16568/j.0254-6086.202601001

Abstract

Abstract: Tungsten (W) based composite powders with Tantalum (Ta) contents of 1.0 wt% and 5.0 wt% were prepared by two-step ball milling method, and then W-Ta alloys were prepared by hot press sintering and high energy rate forging, which were subjected to microstructural analysis and property characterization. The results show that the addition of Ta can significantly increase the Vickers hardness, recrystallization temperature,and tensile strength of wrought W. With the increase of Ta content, the grain of W-Ta alloy is refined, and the hardness of sintered and wrought state is higher. The 1.0 wt% Ta alloy combines excellent mechanical properties,high recrystallization temperature and high thermal conductivity. The plasticity of W is severely degraded by the too high Ta content.

Key words: W-Ta alloys, Hot-press sintering, High energy rate forging, Tensile properties, Recrystallization

摘要： 采用两步球磨法分别制备了钽(Ta)含量为 1.0 wt.%、5.0 wt.%的钨(W)基复合粉末，再通过热压烧结和高能量速率(高能率)锻造制备了 W-Ta 合金，对其进行微观组织分析及性能表征。结果表明：Ta 的加入可以显著提高锻态 W 的维氏硬度和拉伸强度，同时提高 W 的再结晶温度；随着 Ta 含量升高，W-Ta 合金晶粒更为细化，烧结态和锻造态合金的硬度提高。Ta 含量为 1.0 wt.%合金兼具优异的力学性能、高再结晶温度和高热导率，但 Ta 含量过高严重劣化 W 的塑性。

关键词: W-Ta 合金, 热压烧结, 高能量速率锻造, 拉伸性能, 再结晶

CLC Number:

TL62+7

WANG Zi-jie, REN Song-jia, FENG Fan, WANG Jian-bao, ZHAO Chen-xi, FENG Ren-chao, LI Xue, QIANG Jian-bing, WANG Ying-min, LIAN You-yun, LIU Xiang. Microstructure and properties of W-Ta alloys fabricated by hot-press sintering and high energy rate forging[J]. Nuclear Fusion and Plasma Physics, 2026, 46(1): 1-8.

王子杰, 任颂家, 封范, 王建豹, 赵晨曦, 冯仁超, 李雪, 羌建兵, 王英敏, 练友运, 刘翔 . 热压烧结和高能率锻造 W-Ta 合金的组织与性能研究[J]. 核聚变与等离子体物理, 2026, 46(1): 1-8.

References

[1]LASSNER E, SCHUBERT W-D. Tungsten properties,chemistry, technology of the element, alloys, and chemical compounds [M]. New York: Plenum, 1999:283-305.
[2]FENG F, LIAN Y Y, LIU X, et al. Effect of high-energy-rate forging on microstructure and properties of W-TaC alloys [J]. IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science, 2018, 46(6): 2314-2317.
[3]HOHE J, GUMBSCH P. On the potential of tungsten-vanadium composites for high temperature application with wide-range thermal operation window [J]. Journal of Nuclear Materials, 2010, 400(3): 218-231.
[4]TSUCHIDA K, MIYAZAWA T, HASEGAWA A, et al.Recrystallization behavior of hot-rolled pure tungsten and its alloy plates [J]. Nuclear Materials and Energy, 2018,15: 158-163.
[5]PHILIPP L, CARSTEN B, WOLFGANG P, et al.Comparison of K-doped and pure cold-rolled tungsten sheets:As-rolled condition and recrystallization behaviour after isochronal annealing at different temperatures [J]. International Journal of Refractory Metals and Hard Materials, 2019, 85: 105047.

[6]PHILIPPS V. Tungsten as material for plasma-facing components in fusion devices [J]. Journal of Nuclear Materials, 2011, 415(s1): S2-S9.
[7]FUKUDA M, NOGAMI S, GUAN W, et al. Analysis of the temperature and thermal stress in pure tungsten monoblock during heat loading and the influences of alloying and dispersion strengthening on these responses[J]. Fusion Engineering and Design, 2016, 107: 44-50.
[8]DAOUSH W M R, ELSAYED A H A, KADY O A G E,et al. Enhancement of physical and mechanical properties of oxide dispersion-strengthened tungsten heavy alloys[J]. Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A, 2016, 47:2387-2395.
[9]GEACH G A, HUGHES J E. The alloys of rhenium with molybdenum or with tungsten and having good high-temperature properties [C]//Proceedings of the 2nd Plansee Seminar. London: Plansee Proceedings, 1955:245-253.
[10] KLOPP W D, WITZKE W R, RAFFO P L. Mechanical properties of dilute tungsten-rhenium [R]. Washington:National Aeronautics and Space Administration, 1966.
[11] WATANABE S, NOGAMI S, REISER J, et al. Tensile and impact properties of tungsten-rhenium alloy for plasma-facing components in fusion reactor [J]. Fusion Engineering and Design, 2019, 148: 111323.
[12] FUKUDA M, HASEGAWA A, NOGAMI S. Thermal properties of pure tungsten and its alloys for fusion application [J]. Fusion Engineering and Design, 2018,132: 1-6.
[13] LUO A, SHIN K S, JACOBSON D L. Ultrahigh temperature tensile properties of arc-melted tungsten and tungsten-iridium alloys [J]. Scripta Metallurgica et Materialia, 1991, 25(10): 2411.
[14] LUO A, JACOBSON D L, SHIN K S. Solution softening mechanism of iridium and rhenium in tungsten at room temperature [J]. International Journal of Refractory Metals and Hard Materials, 1991, 10(2): 107-114.
[15] MCKAMEY C G, LEE E H, COHRON J W, et al. Grain growth behaviour and high strain rate tensile properties of gas tungsten arc welds in iridium alloy DOP-26 [J].Science and Technology of Welding and Joining, 2000, 5:297.
[16] 刘莎莎, 练友运, 封范, 等. 微量 Hf 掺杂对放电等离子体烧结钨耐热冲击性能的影响 [J]. 材料热处理学报, 2019, 40(11): 96-101.
[17] 黄金昌. W-Ta 合金单晶在生长方位的各种结晶学取向时的亚组织与浓度的关系 [J]. 中国材料进展 ,2001(11): 27-28.
[18] ZAYACHUK Y, HOEN M H J, EMMICHOVEN P A Z V,et al. Surface modification of tungsten and tungsten-tantalum alloys exposed to high-flux deuterium plasma and its impact on deuterium retention [J]. Nuclear Fusion,2013, 53(1): 013013.
[19] WIRTZ O M. Thermal shock behavior of different tungsten grades under varying conditions [D]. Aachen:RWTH Aachen University, 2011.
[20] NOGAMI S, OZAWA ITSUKI, ASAMI DAISUKE, et al.Tungsten-tantalum alloys for fusion reactor applications[J]. Journal of Nuclear Materials, 2022, 566: 153740.
[21] PHILIPP L, PANTLEON W, BONNEKOH C, et al.Comparison of K-doped and pure cold-rolled tungsten sheets: Tensile properties and brittle-to-ductile transition temperatures [J]. Journal of Nuclear Materials, 2021, 544:152664.
[22] ZHAO M Y, ZHOU Z J, ZHONG M, et al. Effect of hot rolling on the microstructure and fracture behavior of a bulk fine-grained W-Y2O3 alloy [J]. Materials Science and Engineering: A, 2015, 646: 19-24.
[23] WANG Y K, MIAO S, XIE Z M, et al. Thermal stability and mechanical properties of HfC dispersion strengthened W alloys as plasma-facing components in fusion devices [J]. Journal of Nuclear Materials, 2017,492: 260-268.
[24] SCHADE P. 100 years of doped tungsten wire [J].International Journal of Refractory Metals and Hard Materials, 2010, 28(6): 648-660.
[25] 王强, 薛勇, 于建民, 等. 基于挤压的剧烈塑性变形技术及发展 [J]. 中北大学学报(自然科学版), 2022, 43(1): 1-10+18.
[26] LIAN Y Y, LIU X, FENG F, et al. Mechanical properties and thermal shock performance of W-Y2O3 composite prepared by high-energy-rate forging [J]. Physica Scripta,2017, 2017(T170): 014044.
[27] OTT R T, YANG G X Y, GUYER D E, et al. Synthesis of high-strength W-Ta ultrafine-grain composites [J].Journal of Materials Research, 2008, 23(1): 133-139.
[28] PALACIOS T, JIMÉNEZ A, MUÑOZ A, et al.Mechanical characterisation of tungsten-1 wt.% yttrium oxide as a function of temperature and atmosphere [J].Journal of Nuclear Materials, 2014, 454(1): 455-461.
[29] LV D D, SUN Y, ZHANG J B, et al. Effect of Y2O3 doping on preparation ultrafine/nano-tungsten powder and refinement mechanism [J]. Tungsten, 2023, 5(4):539-547.
[30] XIE X F, XIE Z M, LIU R, et al. Hierarchical microstructures enabled excellent low-temperature strength-ductility synergy in bulk pure tungsten [J]. Acta Materialia, 2022, 228: 117765.
[31] HE C, FENG F, WANG J B, et al. Improving the mechanical properties and thermal shock resistance of W-Y2O3 composites by two-step high-energy-rate forging[J]. International Journal of Refractory Metals and Hard Materials, 2022, 107: 105883.
[32] DONG Z, MA Z Q, YU L M, et al. Achieving high strength and ductility in ODS-W alloy by employing oxide@W core-shell nanopowder as precursor [J]. Nature Communications, 2021, 12(1): 5052.
[33] 陈潇, 封范, 王建豹, 等. Ta 含量对高能量速率锻造的W-Ta 合金力学性能的影响 [J]. 核聚变与等离子体物理, 2025, 45(2): 142-148.

[34] XIE Z M, LIU R, MIAO S, et al. Effect of high temperature swaging and annealing on the mechanical properties and thermal conductivity of W-Y₂O₃[J].Journal of Nuclear Materials, 2015, 464: 193-199.

[35] XIE Z M, LIU R, ZHANG T, et al. Achieving high strength/ductility in bulk W-Zr-Y₂O₃ alloy plate with hybrid microstructure [J]. Materials and Design, 2016,107: 144-152.

[36] WANG R, XIE Z M, LIU R, et al. Effects of ZrC content on the mechanical properties and microstructures of hot-rolled W-ZrC composites [J]. Nuclear Materials and Energy, 2019, 20: 100705.

[37] TEJADO E, CARVALHO P A, MUNOZ A, et al. The effects of tantalum addition on the microtexture and mechanical behavior of tungsten for ITER applications[J]. Journal of Nuclear Materials, 2015, 467: 949-955.

[38] WIRTZ M, LINKE J, LOEWENHOFF T, et al. Transient heat load challenges for plasma-facing materials during long-term operation [J]. Nuclear Materials and Energy,2016, 12: 148-155.