Preparation of Ultrafine W-10 Wt Pct Cu Composite Powders and Their Corresponding Sintered Compacts

We propose a process to produce ultrafine W-10 wt pct Cu composite powders by reducing the mixtures of copper tungstate (CuWO 4 ) and tungsten trioxide (WO 3 ) (from the calcination of a mixture of ammonium paratungstate and copper nitrate trihydrate) with carbon black and hydrogen. First, ultrafine pre-reduced tungsten-copper (W-Cu) powders containing a small amount of WO 2 were produced by reducing mixtures of CuWO 4 and WO 3 with insufficient carbon black; then the obtained products were further reduced by hydrogen to remove the residual oxygen. This method provides a simple and low-cost route to prepare ultrafine W-10 wt pct Cu composite powders. The composite powders were sintered at different temperatures [1323 K (1050 °C), 1373 K (1100 °C), 1423 K (1150 °C), 1473 K (1200 °C), and 1523 K (1250 °C)] for 3 hours. A maximum densification of the obtained compact was achieved at a sintering temperature of 1523 K (1250 °C), with a relative density, Vickers hardness and thermal conductivity of the W-10 wt pct Cu composites of 97.8 pct, 365 HV and 165 W/m K, respectively.