(DEPSCOR-RC) DESIGN, SYNTHESIS, AND VALIDATION OF THE USE OF METALLIC GLASS POWDERS FOR ADDITIVE MANUFACTURING OF TUNGSTEN-BASED COMPONENTS FOR EXTREME ENVIRONMENTS
Abstract
Tungsten is a desirable metal for extreme environments applications due to its high melting point, tensile strength at elevated temperatures, and low coefficient of thermal expansion. Additive manufacturing (AM) techniques may allow for the fabrication of complex parts that are either not possible or are time-consuming to be prepared using traditional manufacturing methods. However, given the properties of tungsten, it is difficult to use AM techniques to create highly dense structures, which are needed for ultimate mechanical strength. To solve these issues, we propose to develop tungsten-based metallic glass powders that can be used as the feedstock for AM in place of traditional crystalline tungsten alloy powders. When glassy powder is used as feedstock, the powder can exhibit viscous flow instead of transitioning directly to a fluid melt like crystalline powder. This flow behavior will mitigate many of the issues related to the melting and solidification of the crystalline powder, such as reductions in cracking and porosity. Computational methods will be used to identify compositions of tungsten-based materials that can be formed in glassy state. Glassy powders will be formed through atomization. Laser powder directed energy deposition will be used to create metallic glass parts. The printed parts will undergo heat treatments to convert the part into a crystalline material. Crystallization of the brittle glass will be performed to impart toughness and stable high-temperature phases to the AM produced part. The powder and crystalline parts will undergo physicochemical characterization. The use of tungsten-based metallic glasses in AM is hypothesized to lead to parts with higher density, strength, and reliability, which would benefit many applications of interest to the Department of Defense, such as radiation shields, vibration dampers, and kinetic energy penetrators.
Document Details
- Document Type
- DoD Grant Award
- Publication Date
- Apr 20, 2023
- Source ID
- FA95502210363
Entities
People
- Krista Carlson
Organizations
- Air Force Office of Scientific Research
- Nevada System of Higher Education
- Office of the Secretary of Defense