National Research Tomsk State University, Tomsk, Russia

V. I. Sachkov, Doctor of Chemical Sciences, Associate Professor, Head of Laboratory, e-mail: vicsachkov@gmail.com
R. O. Medvedev, Candidate of Technical Sciences, Senior Researcher, e-mail: rodionmedvedev7@gmail.com
D. I. Leonov, Junior Researcher, e-mail: mail@leonovdaniil.ru
Yu. A. Chernysheva, Post-Garduate Student, e-mail: yu.khanina@gmail.com

The paper presents the findings of a study investigating the production and characterisation of tungsten and molybdenum powders through the application of two distinct methodologies: mechanical mixing and sol-gel technology. Moreover, the resulting powders were subjected to reduction in a hydrogen current. The objective of this study was to compare the characteristics of the resulting materials and to identify the most effective method for achieving the desired properties. In the course of the experiments, samples of tungsten and molybdenum powders were prepared using both methods. Subsequently, the physical and chemical properties of the samples, including particle size, surface morphology, crystal structure, and chemical composition, were subjected to detailed examination. The findings revealed that each method possesses distinctive advantages and disadvantages with regard to the resulting powders. The mechanical mixing process yielded powders with relatively fine particles and a non-homogeneous structure, which may be advantageous for certain applications that do not necessitate the formation of alloys. In contrast, the sol-gel method yielded particles of comparable coarseness and chemical homogeneity, which is crucial for enhancing mechanical properties. 

The article was prepared with the assistance of laboratory assistant V. D. Miroshkina, laboratory assistant I. L. Sinkina, and junior researcher D. A. Tkachev.

This study was supported by the Tomsk State University Development Programme (Priority-2030).

1. Nikonov N. V. Molybdenum. Properties, Application, Production, Products. Moscow: OOO “Metotekhnika”, 2014. 34 p.
2. Zelikman A. N. Molybdenum. Moscow: Metallurgia, 1970. 440 p.
3. Tarasov V. P., Gorelikov E. S., Zykova A. V., Bashkirova A. S. Review of Modern Scientific Developments in the Field of Molybdenum Recovery from Spent Catalysts. Non-ferrous Metals. 2022. No. 2. pp. 41–46.
4. Srivastav A. K., Murty B. S. Dilatometric Analysis on Shrinkage Behavior During Non-Isothermal Sintering of Nanocrystalline Tungsten Mechanically Alloyed with Molybdenum. Journal of Alloys and Compounds. 2012. Vol. 536, Suppl. 1. pp. S41–S44.
5. Paul B., Jain D., Chakraborty S. P., Sharma I. G., Pillai C. G. S., Suri A. K. Sintering Kinetics Study of Mechanically Alloyed Nanocrystalline Mo–30wt.% W. Thermochimica Acta. 2011. Vol. 512. pp. 134–141.
6. Chakraborty S. P., Banerjee S., Sanyal G., Bhave V. S., Paul B., Sharma I. G., Suri A. K. Studies on the Synthesis of a Mo – 30wt% W Alloy by Non-Conventional Approaches. Journal of Alloys and Compounds. 2010. Vol. 501, Iss. 2. pp. 211–217.
7. Bhattarai J. Structure and Corrosion Behaviour of Sputter-Deposited W–Mo Alloys. Journal of Nepal Chemical Society. 2006. Vol. 21. pp. 19–25.
8. Liu H.-X., Yang Y.-F., Cai Y.-F., Wang C.-H., Lai C., Hao Y.-W., Wang J.-S. Prediction of Sintered Density of Binary W(Mo) Alloys Using Machine Learning. Rare Metals. 2023. Vol. 42. pp. 2713–2724.
9. Glebovsky V. G., Chepurnov A. S. High-Purity Refractory Metals for Thin-Film Metallization in Microelectronics. Element Base of Domestic Radio Electronics: Import Substitution and Application: Proceedings of the II Russian-Belarusian Scientific and Technical Conference Named After O. V. Losev, Nizhny Novgorod, November 17–19, 2015. pp. 289–293.
10. Srivastav A. K., Chawake N., Yadav D., Karthiselva N. S., Murty B. S. Localized Pore Evolution Assisted Densification During Spark Plasma Sintering of Nanocrystalline W – 5 wt.% Mo Alloy. Scripta Materialia. 2019. Vol. 159. pp. 41–45.
11. Chakraborty S., Banerjee S., Sanyal G., Bhave V. S., Paul B., Sharma I. G., Suri A. K. Studies on the Synthesis of Mo – 30 wt% W Alloy by Non-Conventional Approaches. Journal of Alloys and Compounds. 2010. Vol. 501, Iss. 2. pp. 211–217.
12. Sahoo P. K., Srivastava S. K., Kamal S. S. K., Durai L. Consolidation Behavior of W – 20 – 40 wt.% Mo Nanoalloys Synthesized by Thermal Decomposition Method. International Journal of Refractory Metals and Hard Materials. 2015. Vol. 51.
pp. 124–129.13. Chen Q., Liang S., Zhang J., Zhang X., Wang C., Song X., Zhuo L. Preparation and Сharacterization of WMo Solid Solution Nanopowders with a Wide Composition Range. Journal of Alloys and Compounds. 2020. Vol. 823. 153760.
14. Jeon K. C., Kim B. S., Kim Y. O., Suk M.-J., Oh S.-T. Porous Mo – 30 wt.% W Alloys Synthesized from Camphene/MoO₃ – WO₃ Slurry by Freeze Dying and Sintering Process. International Journal of Refractory Metals and Hard Materials. 2015. Vol. 53, Pt. A. pp. 32–35.
15. Kolosov V. N., Miroshnichenko M. N., Prokhorova T. Y. Preparation of Molybdenum-Tungsten Alloy Powders by Reduction of Oxide Compounds by Magnesium and Calcium Vapors. Neorganiceskie Мaterialy. 2023. Vol. 59, Iss. 9. 980–988.