Microstructure and Mechanical Properties of Plasma Atomized Refractory Alloys

Abstract: Plasma centrifugal atomization is a method widely used in the production of spherical powders of metals and alloys with relatively low melting points. A novel plasma centrifugal atomization process suitable for high melting point materials (i.e. 3500 ᵒC and above) was developed by Metasphere Technology AB, currently Höganäs Sweden AB. In this process, feedstock material in the form of crushed powder with particle sizes in the range 400-1000 µm is fed into a rotating crucible and subsequently melted by the glow discharge of a plasmatron. Due to high rotational speeds, a melt film forms at the edge of the crucible and breaks into fine droplets that are ejected into the reactor chamber and solidified in a whirl of cold inert gases. Capability of the plasmatron to reach very high temperatures, combined with extremely rapid cooling of the ejected droplets, allow for the fabrication of fine powders of refractory alloys exhibiting metastable phases that cannot be obtained otherwise. Oil drilling, ore processing and metal shaping applications, among other, require tool materials capable of withstanding harsh working conditions under heavy loads. Owing to their physical, chemical and mechanical properties, tungsten-carbon alloys are among the most suited materials for such applications. Melting followed by rapid solidification of tungsten-carbon mixtures with 3.9 wt.% C results in a biphasic structure composed of WC lamellae inserted in a W2C matrix, known as cast tungsten carbide (CTC). Due to the metastable nature of both phases present, CTC exhibits exceptional mechanical properties. CTC is mainly used as reinforcing dispersed phase in metal matrix composite hardfacing overlays, which are deposited by plasma transferred arc (PTA) welding or laser cladding onto steel tools.High-entropy alloys (HEAs) are defined as multi-component solid solutions with equimolar or near-equimolar concentration of all principal elements. Owing to their outstanding mechanical, corrosion, erosion, oxidation and radiation resistance properties compared to conventional alloys, HEAs are among the most suited materials for aerospace and nuclear applications. Several processing routes have allowed for laboratory-scale production of HEAs. Nevertheless, size and shape of bulk components that can be thus produced are largely limited. In a quest for up-scaling the processing of high-end bulk HEA components, plasma centrifugal atomization of pre-alloyed refractory HEA spherical powders suitable for additive manufacturing was envisaged.In this work, capabilities of the novel plasma centrifugal atomization for processing of refractory alloys into fine spherical powders have been evaluated based on two different material systems, namely CTC and a refractory HEA containing Ti, V, Zr, Nb, Mo, Hf, Ta, W. Challenges of local mechanical characterization of micron-sized powders have been addressed and a robust method for testing of individual particles has been developed. Mechanical properties such as hardness and fracture toughness of plasma atomized CTC powders have been extensively investigated and related to the corresponding thermal stories. Experimental results suggest significant straining of the crystal lattice in the case of as-atomized CTC, possibly due to extremely high cooling rates experienced by the solidifying particles. This has been ruled out the main reason for the outstanding mechanical properties of plasma atomized CTC compared to both spheroidized CTC and conventional cast & crushed CTC. Effective stress relieve was possible upon heat treatment. Plasma atomization of the refractory HEA yielded similar results, where an extremely fine microstructure with no noticeable chemical segregation was obtained. Indentation hardness of this novel microstructure was found to be approximately 25% higher than that of similar alloys reported in literature. HEA powder thus produced was then consolidated into bulk HEAs with very simple geometries, proving that this powder can be further processed into components of more or less complexity for pre-defined applications.