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Copper tungsten

2003

Dear Sir,

We take molten copper to penetrate the sintered tungsten, but it worked out as always a not completely penetration, also not homogeneous. Ould you kindly give me a help?

Thanks a lot.

Beck Liu
- Chengdu, Sichuan, China

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I am not an expert in sintering,but your question strikes me as a bit strange because my understanding is that the tungsten powder should be copper plated before sintering.

Ted Mooney, P.E.
Striving to live Aloha
(Ted can offer longterm or instant help)
finishing.com - Pine Beach, New Jersey
2003

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We use copper-tungsten for some EDM electrodes we buy- it's a nice material for that, as it combines heat resistance with electrical conductivity. I had always THOUGHT it was completely P/M: i.e., one started with copper and tungsten powder and formed them together using standard powder metallurgy techniques. I'd not heard of a porous tungsten preform as a precursor.

I could only recommend the obvious things- either use vacuum or a gas readily dissolved in molten copper to fill the pores in the tungsten before infiltration. Pressure techniques may be needed, wherein you use a die to force the copper into the tungsten. You may also try a lower density tungsten and then work it by rolling, forging, etc- the copper will flow out of the preform and increase the apparent tungsten concentration. Perhaps.

Good luck!

Lee Gearhart
metallurgist - E. Aurora, New York
2003

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2003

Dear Mr. Lee Gearhart,

Thanks for your help. Now we have done it, but thanks any way. Copper infiltrated tungsten will have a better performance than P/M of powder mixed by copper and tungsten as I know.

Thanks,

Beck Liu
- China

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