Abstract

The W-Cu composite powders were synthesized from W and Cu elemental powders by ball-milling process, and their microstructural changes and sintering behaviors were evaluated. The ball milling process was carried out in a 3-dimensional mixer (Turbula mixer) using zirconic (ZrO_2) ball and alumina (Al_2O_3) vial up to 300 hrs. The ball-milled W-Cu powders revealed nearly spherical shape. Microstructure of the composite powders showed onion-like structure which consists of W and Cu shells due to the moving characteristic of Turbula mixer. The W and Cu elements in the composite powders milled for 300 hrs were homogeneously distributed, and W grain size in the ball-milled powder was smaller than 0.5 mutextrmm. Fe impurity introduced during ball milling process was very low as of 0.001 wt%. The relative sintered density of ball-milled W-Cu specimens reached about 94% after sintering at 1100°C.