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At least 73 records · Page 4
All sourcesNASA NTRSDOE OSTI
DOE OSTI2025

Effect of alloying on intrinsic ductility in WTaCrV high entropy alloys

Tungsten (W) exhibits desirable properties for extreme applications, such as the divertor in magnetic fusion reactors, but its practicality remains limited due to poor formability and insufficient irradiation resistance. In this work, we study the intrinsic ductility of body-centered cubic WTaCrV based high entropy alloys (HEAs), which are known to exhibit excellent irradiation resistance. The ductility evaluations are carried out using a criterion based on the competition between the critical stress intensity factors for emission (K Ie ) and cleavage (K Ic ) in the {110} slip planes and {110} crack planes, which are evaluated within the linear elastic fracture mechanics framework and computed using density functional theory. The results suggest that increasing the alloying concentrations of V and reducing the concentrations of W can significantly improve the ductility in these HEAs. The elastic anisotropy for these HEAs is analyzed using the Zener anisotropy ratio and its correlation with the concentration of W in the alloys is studied. Results indicate that these alloys tend to be fairly isotropic independently from the concentration of W in them. The computed data for the elastic constants of these HEAs is also compared against available experimental data. The results are in good agreement, validating the robustness and accuracy of the computational methods. Multiple phenomenological ductility metrics were also computed and analyzed against the analytical model. Some metrics, mainly the surrogate D parameter, show a good correlation with the Rice model. The potential of these empirical metrics to serve as surrogate screening models for optimizing the compositional space is also discussed.

Anisotropy↗
DOE OSTI2024

Additive Friction Stir Deposition of a Tantalum–Tungsten Refractory Alloy

Additive friction stir deposition (AFSD) is a solid-state metal additive manufacturing technique, which utilizes frictional heating and plastic deformation to create large deposits and parts. Much like its cousin processes, friction stir welding and friction stir processing, AFSD has seen the most compatibility and use with lower-temperature metals, such as aluminum; however, there is growing interest in higher-temperature materials, such as titanium and steel alloys. In this work, we explore the deposition of an ultrahigh-temperature refractory material, specifically, a tantalum–tungsten (TaW) alloy. The solid-state nature of AFSD means refractory process temperatures are significantly lower than those for melt-based additive manufacturing techniques; however, they still pose difficult challenges, especially in regards to AFSD tooling. In this study, we perform initial deposition trials of TaW using twin-rod-style AFSD with a high-temperature tungsten–rhenium-based tool. Many challenges arise because of the high temperatures of the process and high mechanical demand on AFSD machine hardware to process the strong refractory alloy. Despite these challenges, successful deposits of the material were produced and characterized. Mechanical testing of the deposited material shows improved yield strength over that of the annealed reference material, and this strengthening is mostly attributed to the refined recrystallized microstructure typical of AFSD. These findings highlight the opportunities and challenges associated with ultrahigh-temperature AFSD, as well as provide some of the first published insights into twin-rod-style AFSD process behaviors.

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
DOE OSTI2025

Characterization of Additively Manufactured Tungsten Heavy Alloy Material (CRADA Final Report)

LLNL and Aerojet Rocketdyne, Inc. (AR), using earlier collaborative work in powder bed printing of other materials, have been collaboratively pursuing the additive manufacture of tungsten heavy alloy (WHA) material since 2014. The goal of the project was to establish the ability to produce the LLNL developed material at the AR production facility. When accomplished, AR would produce an agreed array of test samples to technically characterize the material properties via testing. AR would conduct a portion of that testing and provide those results to LLNL. The goal of this work was to perform a trial transfer of LLNL’s WHA technology to AR

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE↗
NASA NTRS2010

A Novel Tungsten-Nickel Alloy Ohmic Contact to SiC at 900 C

A novel tungsten-nickel ohmic contact metallization on 4H-SiC and 6H-SiC capable of surviving temperatures as high as 900 C is reported. Preliminary results revealed the following: 1) ohmic contact on n-type 4H-SiC having net doping levels (Nd's) of 1.4 and 2 x 10(exp 19) per cubic centimeter, with specific contact resistances rhosNd's of 7.69 x 10(exp -4) and 5.81 x 10(exp -4) OMEGA (raised dot) square centimeters, respectively, after rapid thermal annealing (RTA), and 5.9 x 10(exp -3) and 2.51 x 10(exp -4) OMEGA (raised dot) square centimeters, respectively, after subsequent soak at 900 C for 1 h in argon, and 2) ohmic contact on n- and p-type 6H-SiC having Nd > 2 x 10(exp 19) and Na > 1 x 10(exp 20) per cubic centimeter, with rhosNd = 5 x 10(exp -5) and rhosNa = 2 X 10(exp -4) OMEGA (raised dot) square centimeter, respectively, after RTA, and rhosNd = 2.5 x 10 (exp -5) and rhosNa = 1.5 x 10(exp -4) OMEGA (raised dot) square centimeter after subsequent treatment at 900 C for 1 h in argon, respectively.

Okojie, Robert S.↗
NASA NTRS1974

Vacuum arc melting of tungsten-hafnium-carbon alloy

The vacuum arc casting of tungsten alloys, which contain carbon as an alloy addition, require special melting procedures in order to produce melts of consistent controlled levels of alloy content. A melting procedure will be described in which elemental components of a tungsten 0.35% HfC alloy are assembled to form an electrode for ac vacuum arc melting to produce 3-in.-diam ingots. Melting procedures and analytical chemistry are discussed and compared with data for ingots produced by other techniques.

Ammon, R. L.↗
DOE OSTI2024

Electrodeposition of Tungsten using Hydrotropic Agents

The current work sought to electrodeposit tungsten from water-based solutions. The work’s initial hypothesis was that methoxide reducing agents could be used to generate urea anions that could enable tungsten electrodeposition. Unfortunately, this hypothesis was found to be incorrect. However, the work led to the understanding that chemical reducing agents not only enable the electrodeposition of refractory metals like rhenium from water-based solutions, but that the key to plating tungsten in the future involves chemical reduction followed by stabilization with proper ligands. The work resulted in a manuscript under review at Inorganic Chemistry Communications on the discovered of L-histidine as a suitable reducing agent from rhenium electrodeposition. Rhenium-tungsten alloys with 4% tungsten were deposited. A technical advance was filed for the rhenium chemistry and parts were delivered to an internal Sandia customer that used the chemistry.

37 INORGANIC, ORGANIC, PHYSICAL, AND ANALYTICAL CH↗
NASA NTRS1965

A Study of Tungsten-Technetium Alloys

Technetium is a sister element to rhenium and has many properties that are similar to rhenium. It is predicted that technetium will have about the same effects on tungsten as rhenium in regard to increase in workability, lowered ductile to brittle transition temperature, and improved ductility. The objectives of the current work are to recover technetium from fission product wastes at Hanford Atomic Products Operation and reduce to purified metal; prepare W-Tc alloys containing up to 50 atomic% Tc; fabricate the alloy ingots to sheet stock, assessing the effect of technetium on workability; and perform metallurgical and mechanical properties evaluation of the fabricated alloys. Previous reports have described the separation and purification of 800 g of technetium metal powder, melting of technetium and W-Tc alloys, and some initial observation of the alloy material.

Maltz, J. W.↗
NASA NTRS1965

A Study of Tungsten-Technetium Alloys

Technetium is a sister element to rhenium and has many properties that are similar to rhenium. It is predicted that technetium will have about the same effects on tungsten as rhenium in regard to increase in workability, lowered ductile to brittle transition temperature, and improved ductility. The objectives of the current work are to recover technetium from fission product wastes at Hanford Atomic Products Operation and reduce to purified metal; prepare W-Tc alloys containing up to 50 atomic% Tc; fabricate the alloy ingots to sheet stock, assessing the effect of technetium on workability; and perform metallurgical and mechanical properties evaluation of the fabricated alloys. Previous reports have described the separation and purification of 800 g of technetium metal powder, melting of technetium and W-Tc alloys, and some initial observation of the alloy material.

Maltz, J. W.↗
NASA NTRS1992

Sintering time and atmosphere influences on the microstructure and mechanical properties of tungsten heavy alloys

The present paper traces the microstructure and mechanical property variations vs sintering time under conditions where the atmosphere was adjusted to suppress pore generation. Attention is given to tracing the mechanical property links to the grain size under optimized sintering conditions. The optimal cycle is used to sinter two heavy alloy compositions (88 and 95 wt pct W) for times up to 600 minutes at 1480 C. The 88-pct-W samples slumped, but the 95-pct-W samples were fully densified and suitable for tensile testing. At long sintering times, the tungsten grains flattened and the tungsten contiguity decreased, indicating a transition to low-energy configurations for the solid-liquid interfaces. The cube of the mean grain size varied linearly with the isothermal sintering time. This allowed the determination of grain size effects on mechanical properties, showing a decreasing yield strength with increasing time in agreement with the Hall-Petch behavior. The tensile strength and elongation were highest for sintering times from 30 to 90 min, reflecting a minimum in the residual porosity.

German, R. M.↗
NASA NTRS1974

High reliability sheathed, beryllia insulated, tungsten-rhenium alloy thermocouple assemblies; their fabrication and EMF stability

Tantalum sheathed, BeO insulated, W-3% Re/W-25% Re thermocouple assemblies were fabricated and their emf drift determined during 2059 hours of exposure at 2073 K in a gaseous helium environment. The sheathed thermocouple assemblies were constructed from aged thermoelements, specially heat-treated BeO insulators, and specially cleaned and etched tantalum sheaths. Their thermal emf drifts ranged from the equivalent of only -0.3 to -0.8 K drift per 1000 hours of exposure at 2073 K. No evidence of any gross chemical attack or degradation of the component materials was found. The emf drift and material behavior of some unsheathed, BeO insulated, W-3% Re/W-25% Re thermocouples at 2250 and 2400 K were also determined. Unsheathed thermocouples tested in an argon environment at 2250 K for 1100 hours and at 2400 K for 307 hours exhibited changes in thermal emf that typically ranged from the equivalent of a few degrees K to as much as +11 K. Post-test examinations of these thermocouples revealed some undesirable material degradation and interaction which included erosion of the BeO insulators and contamination of the thermoelements by tantalum from the tantalum blackbody enclosure in which the thermocouples were contained.

Burns, G. W.↗