Fabrication of W–20%Cu composite powder from copper and tungsten salts

Abstract

An investigation has been made to prepare homogeneous powders of CuWO4 and WO3 from ammonium paratungstate and copper nitrate to prepare nanosized W–Cu powder. Hence, a mixture of ammonium paratungstate and copper nitrate with predetermined weight proportion was made in distilled water; while the content of the beaker was being stirred at a certain speed to reach the desired composition of W–20 wt-%Cu. Mixture was heated to 80–100°C for 6 h. Also, pH range was adjusted at about 3–4. The mixture was then evaporated and dried in the air. To reach W–Cu composite powder, the precursor powders burned out at 520°C for 2 h in the air to form W–Cu oxide powder and then were ball milled and reduced in H2 atmosphere to convert it into W–Cu composite powder. The resulting powders were evaluated using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis and differential thermal analysis techniques. The results showed that homogeneous powders of W–Cu with particle size of ∼100 nm and a nearly spherical shape could be obtained by this process.