Microstructure refinement and mechanical properties improvement in the W-Y2O3 alloys via optimized freeze-drying

Oxide-dispersion-strengthened (ODS) tungsten based alloys with high performance were synthesized by optimized freeze-drying with PVP and PEG polymer dispersant additives and subsequent low temperature sintering. The pre-freezing principle developed firstly in our work shows that fast cooling rate and polymer dispersant additives contribute to the refinement and uniformity of precursor powders. The optimized freeze-dried W-Y ₂O ₃ composite powders possess an average grain size of 9 nm, which can be attributed to the steric hindrance provided by polymer dispersants during freeze-drying and voids left by the decomposition of polymer dispersants during calcination. After sintering at low temperature, the W-Y ₂O ₃ alloys have ultrafine W grain (210 nm) and nano second phase particles (<50 nm) dispersed in W matrix while maintaining a high relative density of 97.8%. These factors mentioned above lead to the microhardness and compressive strength as high as 721 ± 31 HV _0.2, 814 MPa respectively, accompanied by a high total deformation plasticity of above 50%. These results indicate that the optimized freeze-drying and subsequent low temperature sintering is a promising way to fabricate ODS tungsten based alloys with high performance.