Sinter-ability of nanocrystalline tungsten powder

In this investigation, nanocrystalline tungsten powders prepared by either chemical method or high energy mechanical milling were sintered to study the size-dependence of the densification of tungsten powders. Results show that nanocrystalline tungsten powders produced via an ultra-high energy milling process have significantly enhanced sinterability, compared to conventional submicron- or micron-sized powders. This study for the first time shows nanocrystalline tungsten powder can be sintered via a pressureless process to near-full densification at a temperature as low as 1100 degrees C. (c) 2009 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.