Near-net-shape 95W–3.5Ni–1.5Fe thin-walled products produced by plasma spray forming

Tungsten heavy alloy 95W–3.5Ni–1.5Fe (in wt.%) refractory metallic thin-walled products (diameter ≤100 mm, length ≤150 mm and wall thickness ≤5 mm) were produced using plasma spray forming (PSF) covered in argon atmosphere at a pressure of 1.01 × 105 Pa followed by vacuum liquid phase sintering at 1465, 1485 and 1500 °C for 90 min, respectively.A lamellar structure consisting of vertical columnar grains and some fine particles was found in PSF deposits. Relative density of the deposits was about 87.70% with poor mechanical property. Upon vacuum liquid phase sintering, their density and property have been improved significantly. The microstructures of PSF deposits before and after vacuum sintering were found to consist with tungsten and (Ni, Fe)-rich phase. Volume fraction of (Ni, Fe)-rich phase was decreased due to vaporization that occurred in plasma spraying and vacuum liquid phase sintering. Their fracture surfaces were dominated by intergranular rupture. The lamellar structure remained in the deposits during early stages of sintering (solid state sintering and initial of liquid phase sintering). Particle rearrangement and rapid densification of the deposits did not occur until the surface of tungsten particles being modified and changed into spheroids by solution and precipitation. In the end, the PSF deposits have been transformed from lamellar structure into two phase composites with dispersed spheroidal tungsten grains embedded in a continuous network of (Ni, Fe)-rich phase.