Low-cost and low-temperature 3D printing for refractory composite inspired by fused deposition modeling and binder jetting

Inspired by two subsets of additive manufacturing, a novel method of low-cost and low-temperature 3D printing for net shape refractory products has been proposed and validated in the present work. Taking the typical refractory composite of tungsten-copper as an instance, the feedstock for printing was made of 97 wt% W-Cu composite powders and 3 wt% binder. The resulted W-Cu composite was printed on a desktop 3D printer at room temperature, followed by designated degreasing and hydrogen-reduction sintering. Characteristics including phase constituents, microstructure, mechanical and electrical properties of the resulted composite have been identified. The revealed neat and intact interfaces between the constituent Cu and W after fully degreasing ensured sufficient loading transfer and deformation coordination, contributing to excellent mechanical properties with high electrical conductivity. This work extended the feasibility of fabricating refractory alloys without molds and expensive equipment, providing a new solution and scheme for refractory materials with intricate structures.