Densification behavior of nanocrystalline W–Ni–Fe composite powders prepared by sol-spray drying and hydrogen reduction process

This paper studied the densification behavior of nanocrystalline composite powders of 93W–4.9Ni–2.1Fe (wt.%) and 93W–4.9Ni–2.1Fe–0.03Y synthesized by sol-spray drying and hydrogen reduction process. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis showed that γ-(Ni, Fe) phase was formed in the final obtained powders. Powders morphology characterized by scanning electron microscope (SEM) showed that the 93W–4.9Ni–2.1Fe nanocrystalline composite powders exhibited larger agglomeration and grain size compared with the 93W–4.9Ni–2.1Fe–0.03Y nanocrystalline composite powders. Both kinds of green compacts can obtain full density if sintered at 1410 °C for 1 h. When sintering temperature was above 1410 °C, the sintering density for both compacts decreased rapidly. In addition, the sintering density, densification rate and grain coarsening rate of 93W–4.9Ni–2.1Fe compacts were higher than those of 93W–4.9Ni–2.1Fe–0.03Y. The effect of trace yttrium on the densification behavior of nanocrystalline composite powders was also discussed.