High thermal shock resistance of the hot rolled and swaged bulk W–ZrC alloys

The thermal shock (single shot) resistance and mechanical properties of the W–0.5wt% ZrC (WZC) alloys manufactured by ordinary sintering followed by swaging or rolling process were investigated. No cracks or surface melting were detected on the surface of the rolled WZC alloy plates after thermal shock at a power density of 0.66 GW/m² for 5 ms, while primary intergranular cracks appear on the surface of the swaged WZC samples after thermal shock at a power density of 0.44 GW/m² for 5 ms. Three point bending tests indicate that the rolled WZC alloy has a flexural strength of ∼2.4 GPa and a total strain of 1.8% at room temperature, which are 100% and 260% higher than those of the swaged WZC, respectively. The fracture energy density of the rolled WZC alloy is 3.23 × 10⁷ J/m³, about 10 times higher than that of the swaged WZC (2.9 × 10⁶ J/m³). The high thermal shock resistance of the rolled WZC alloys can be ascribed to their extraordinary ductility and plasticity. - Graphical abstract: (Left panel) surface morphology observed by optical microscope after a single pulse for 5 ms with various absorbed power densities at RT on the rolled WZC. (Right panel) curves of flexural stress versus strain at RT (a) and the calculated fracture energy (b) for the swaged WZC and rolled WZC alloys. - Highlights: • No cracks or surface melting were detected on the rolled WZC alloy samples after thermal shock at 0.66 GW/m² for 5 ms. • Hot rolled WZC alloy plates exhibit a flexural strength of 2.4 GPa and a strain of 1.8% at RT. • The fracture energy of the rolled WZC alloy is 3.23 × 10⁷ J/m³ at RT, about 10 times higher than that of the swaged WZC. • A detailed analysis of the relationships between the mechanical properties and the thermal shock resistance is given.