Effect of Transition Metal Addition on Liquid Phase Sintering of W–Cu

Abstract

Cobalt, iron, and nickel were added to copper in order to accelerate the liquid phase sintering process of W–Cu composite. The sintering behaviour of tungsten with additions of these elements varied widely depending on the addition element even though the rate of densification could be significantly enhanced by suitable additions of these elements. Additions inexcess of the amount necessary to form a continuous layer lead to successively decreasing sintering rates in the case of cobalt, while no decrease could be observed with increase in the quantity of added iron, and the sintering rate increased continuously with increasing nickel additions. The difference in the wettability of the tungsten surface by the liquid copper was attributed to the effects of additives on liquid phases intering of W–Cu compacts. PM/0639