Microstructure and tensile properties of tungsten at elevated temperatures

• This work was conducted to support the development of the 5 MW spallation target for the European Spallation Source.
• The effect of fabrication process on microstructure, ductile-to-brittle transition temperature and tensile behaviour was studied with hot-rolled and hot-forged tungsten.
• The tungsten materials were characterized with metallography analysis, hardness measurement and tensile test in a temperature range of 25–500 °C.
• The results indicate that the HR tungsten has better mechanical properties in terms of greater ductility and lower ductile-to-brittle transition temperature.

In order to support the development of the 5 MW spallation target for the European Spallation Source, the effect of fabrication process on microstructure, ductile-to-brittle transition temperature (DBTT), tensile and fracture behaviour of powder-metallurgy pure tungsten materials has been investigated. A hot-rolled (HR) tungsten piece of 12 mm thickness and a hot-forged (HF) piece of about 80 mm thickness were used to simulate the thin and thick blocks in the target. The two tungsten pieces were characterized with metallography analysis, hardness measurement and tensile testing. The HR piece exhibits an anisotropic grain structure with an average size of about 330 × 140 × 40 μm in rolling, long transverse and short transverse (thickness) directions. The HF piece possesses a bimodal grain structure with about 310 × 170 × 70 μm grain size in deformed part and about 25 μm sized grains remained from sintering process. Hardness (HV0.2) of the HR piece is slightly greater than that of the HF one. The ductility of the HR tungsten specimens is greater than that of the HF tungsten. For the HF tungsten piece, specimens with small grains in gauge section manifest lower ductility but higher strength. The DBTT evaluated from the tensile results is 250–300 °C for the HR tungsten and about 350 °C for the HF tungsten.