Abstract

A study on the improvement of the impact energy in 93W heavy alloy with a Ni/Fe ratio of 9/1 has been carried out as a function of heat treatment temperature. The obtained results were compared to that of the traditional alloy system in which the Ni/Fe ratio is 7/3 or 8/2. With increasing heat treatment temperature from 1150 to 1250°C, the impact energy of the alloy with the Ni/Fe ratio of 9/1 is remarkably increased from 42 to 72 J, which is higher than that of traditional alloy, up to 1180°C and then saturated. Fracture mode was also changed from brittle W/W boundary failure to W cleavage. The temperature showing the dramatic shrinkage by dilatometric anaysis of the heavy alloy with Ni/Fe ratio of 9/1 was found to be 1483 °C, which is higher than that (1460°C) of the heavy alloy with Ni/Fe ratio of 7/3. Auger Electron Spectroscopy showed that the segregation of impurities, such as S, P, and C in W/W grain boundary was considerably decreased with increasing heat treatment temperature from 1150 to l180°C. From the above results, it was found that the impurity segregation in W/W grain boundary played an important role on the decrease of impact properties, and the heat treatment temperature should be appropriately chosen, as considering the Ni/Fe ratio of the alloy, in order to get good impact properties.