Serrated flow behavior in tungsten heavy alloy

Flow behavior of a tungsten heavy alloy of composition, 90.5 wt% W–7.1 wt% Ni–1.65 wt% Fe–0.5 wt% Co–0.25 wt% Mo was investigated in a temperature range of 223–973 K and strain rate range of 10⁻⁵–10⁻² s⁻¹. In the temperature range of 773–873 K, the stress strain curves were characterized by jerky flow pointing towards Dynamic Strain Ageing (DSA)/Portevin Le-Chatelier's (PLC) effect. Characteristics of DSA were analyzed in detail. Based on the value of activation energy determined from the critical strain method, diffusion of interstitials (carbon, oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen) were thought to be responsible for the DSA effect. The results were discussed in relation to information existing in this area in tungsten heavy alloys. The study of fracture surface of tensile tested samples (in the range of 823–973 K) showed that the fractographic features, mostly intergranular, predominantly govern the overall ductility of the alloy and do not change except for surface oxidation at relatively higher temperatures.