Research progress on preparation and properties of high-temperature resistant tungsten-based composite powders

WU Yucheng; ZHU Xiaoyong; TANG Junyu; CHEN Yu; YAO Gang; LUO Laima; LIU Jiaqin

doi:10.13732/j.issn.1008-5548.2026.02.005

Abstract：Significance Tungsten(W)-based composite powders play a crucial role in various high-tech fields such as aerospace,nuclear energy,and microelectronics due to tungsten's excellent properties,including high melting point,high density,and good ther-mal conductivity.This review aims to comprehensively summarize the research status of the preparation technologies of W-based composite powders and analyze their characteristics and existing problems,thereby providing a reference for the development of high-performance W-based materials. Progress In the preparation of second-phase particle-doped W-based composite powders for fusion devices,mechanical ball milling is commonly employed.However,mechanical ball milling has certain drawbacks.Prolonged high-energy milling can lead to wear of the milling jar liner and balls,resulting in contamination of the composite powders.Moreover,extended milling time increases the surface energy of the powders,which accelerates sintering neck formation and excessive grain growth during sintering.Chemical methods for preparing second-phase particle-doped W-based composite powders mainly include solid-liquid doping and liquid-liquid doping.Solid-liquid doping is typically applied in carbide dispersion strengthened(CDS)W materials but faces challenges due to the reaction between carbides with oxygen during sintering.In contrast,liquid-liquid dop-ing is commonly used for oxide dispersion-strengthened(ODS)W materials.In recent years,various chemical methods have been developed,such as wet chemical methods,sol-gel processes,freeze-drying,and hydrothermal methods.Although these chemical methods can produce ODS-W-based composite powders with excellent microstructures,environmental concerns regard-ing ammonia and nitrogen oxides must be addressed in large-scale production.For W-rhenium(Re)alloy powders designed for high-end equipment,the primary goal is to achieve a uniform solid solution distribution of W and Re.Mechanical methods still struggle with uneven alloying.Mixed methods,including solid-solid and solid-liquid doping,are widely used.Among these,solid-liquid doping can achieve better dispersion and more uniform distribution of W and Re compared to solid-solid doping.However,for W powders with high Re content,uniformity remains insufficient.Chemical methods using ammonium metatung-state and ammonium perrhenate as raw materials,in combination with processes such as co-precipitation,sol-gel,and spray drying,are gradually emerging as new approaches to prepare uniform,ultrafine W-Re alloy powders.However,due to the dif-fering reduction characteristics of W and Re powders,issues of compositional uniformity persist.In the preparation of W-copper(Cu)composite powders,both mechanical and chemical methods are employed to enhance the sintering activity.However,mechanical alloying often leads to severe powder agglomeration and introduces impurities such as manganese and iron,adversely affecting the conductivity and thermal conductivity of W-Cu composites.Chemical methods,including electroless plating,sol-gel processes,co-precipitation,and wet chemical methods,can effectively improve sintering activity.Subsequent studies have shown that the addition of silver can enhance the density and performance of W-Cu composites.Overall,each method for prepar-ing W-based composite powders has their advantages and disadvantages. Conclusions and Prospects In summary,current preparation methods for W-based composite powders exhibit distinct advan-tages and disadvantages.Future research should focus on optimizing preparation processes to enhance powder quality and perfor-mance.For second-phase particle-doped W-based composite powders,the exploration of more environmentally friendly chemi-cal methods and better control over second-phase particle distribution is essential.For W-Re alloy powders,addressing compo-nent uniformity,particularly in high-Re content powders,is crucial.In the preparation of W-Cu composite powders,efforts should be directed toward improving plating quality in chemical methods and minimizing impurities in mechanical methods.With the continuous development of related industries,the demand for high-performance W-based materials is expected to grow,indicating broad prospects for research in W-based composite powder preparation technologies.