Characterization and Consolidation of Tungsten Nanopowders Produced by Salt-Assisted Combustion Synthesis

Abstract : Tungsten nanopowders have been produced at Chungnam National University in Daejeon, South Korea, by a salt-assisted combustion synthesis method. Samples of these powders were obtained and characterized to determine particle size,morphology, degree of agglomeration, and chemical purity. The powders were shown to consist of nano-sized particles agglomerated into larger clusters and were found to contain higher levels of oxygen than conventional fine tungsten powder.The powders were then consolidated by the Plasma Pressure Compaction (P2C) method. The resulting samples were examined to determine density, grain size, and chemical purity. Although bulk samples were produced containing nano-sized grains, high density was not achieved. However, when compared with samples consolidated using conventional sub-micron tungsten powder, higher density was achieved at the lower processing temperatures required for retention of initial grain size.