Tungsten Copper Power Properties Test

Tungsten copper powder properties itself will directly affect the final performance of tungsten copper products so that the test of tungsten copper powder raw material becomes vital. At present, laser particle size analysis, transmission electron microscope, differential scanning calorimetry are the main test methods, next we will introduce and analyze them by theory and working principle.

Laser particle size analyzer judges the size of particles by distribution (ie, scattering spectra) by the diffraction space or scattered light particles. The method combines Fraunhofer with Mie scattering theory, when a bunch of laser irradiation wavelength λ in the small spherical particles of a certain size, the beam encounters a barrier, diffraction and scattering phenomenon will occur. Generally, when the particle size is less than 10λ, the main phenomenon is scattering, while the particle size is greater than or equal to 10λ, the main phenomenon is diffraction.

The most widely used laser particle size analyzer currently usually uses 500-700nm wavelength laser as a light source, which test particles size above 5μm is relatively accurate. For particle size of less than 5μm by Mie theory is mathematically corrected, which means that for the sub-micron or nano-scale particles have a certain measure of error. In addition, theoretical model of laser particle size analysis is based on spherical particles and mono-disperse condition, and thus for the particle shape and particle size distribution will have a greater impact on the final results of particle size analysis. The more irregular shape of particle, the wider particle size distribution, the final error will be greater. For tungsten-copper composite powders, the water as a dispersant and add ethanol for grinding, after 30 minutes of ultrasonic cleaning in distilled water dispersion of particle size analysis.

Next, we introduce transmission electron microscope (TEM), which is a kind of high-powered high-resolution microscope. Compared with common optical microscope, it uses electromagnetic field as lens and was widely used in super-fine grain, aggregates and some nano-scale material testing. Furthermore, since the electron beam penetration is weak, so the specimens for electron microscopy of ultrathin sections shall be made about a thickness of about 50nm, which require ultra-microtome machining. For tungsten-copper powder, the thickness is more than 100nm, if the sample is required and the powder milled sample was dissolved in ethanol, in an ultrasonic cleaning after the suspension of the dispersed drops in the electron microscope with a copper medium carbon film, powder morphology was observed after drying.

Finally, thermal analysis, which refers to a change in endothermic or exothermic reactions that take place through the heating and cooling process and the quality of the material, the components was analyzed and identified substance. It includes that differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), which measuring thermal transitions within the material and relevant to the relationship between temperature and heat flow. The shape of the melting peak on DSC curve reflects the particle size distribution; the information can be drawn melting enthalpy crystallinity. Themogravimentric analysis (TGA) records that temperature changes and the time the sample quality, measurable by TGA analysis of injection molding material at different temperatures of weight loss situation, and in order to determine the heating rate of heat degreasing.