The role of the activator rich-W interboundary layer on liquid phase sintering of W-pre-alloy bronze composites of Fe and Co additions

► W40-80wt.%-bronze compacts of 3 wt. % Fe and Co additions were sintered to yield compacts of 70-90% relative density. ► The sintering activation effects started at temperatures as low as 600 °C below the bulk eutectic temperature. ► In contrast with the finding of other researchers, the interboundary layers have completely wetted the W grains. ► These outcomes seem to follow the classical activated sintering model and contrast with other recently proposed models.