Microstructure of W - Ni - Sn Composites in Relation to Amount of Liquid Phase on Sintering

Microstructure transformation is examined for W - Ni - Sn composites made by liquid-phase sintering at 1200 °C for 1 h; the liquid phase was a eutectic containing 67.5 mass% Ni and 32.5 mass% Sn. There is a nonmonotone dependence of the tungsten grain size in the sintered composites on the volume proportion of liquid phase in the range 6.7–36.8%. The mean grain size in relation to volume proportion of liquid phase in liquid-phase sintering is calculated from rheological sintering theory. The form of the empirical function f(v) is quantitatively demonstrated, which determines the rate of tungsten grain growth on liquid-phase sintering and is dependent on the proportion of matrix in the composite and the size of the liquid phase layer. __________ Translated from Poroshkovaya Metallurgiya, Nos. 7–8(444), pp. 53–57, July–August, 2005.