Microwave sintering of tungsten

This study aims at microwave sintering of pure tungsten powder of as-received grade and tungsten powder activated by high-energy milling (HEM). Both the powder compacts are sintered under identical conditions and their sinterability is compared and analyzed for process optimization. Activated powder responds to microwaves and shows significant densification in a relatively shorter duration. The scope of the present work is to understand the effects of high-energy milling on the sinterability of tungsten in microwave and to make a comparative assessment between as-received (coarser) and activated (finer) tungsten powder in terms of their response to microwave sintering, densification and microstructure.