Theoretical Analysis of Explosive Compaction of Tungsten Powder

Explosive compaction is one of the complementary methods in powder metallurgy process in which the densification and sintering of powder particles is performed in one stage by passing a shock wave through the powder medium. For production of tungsten parts, it is preferred to use this method. In this research, an analytical equation is obtained for choosing the necessary explosive material. To verify the theoretical relationship, several explosive experiments were designed and performed for compaction of tungsten powder and several specimens were obtained. The density and the hardness of these specimens were measured and their fragment surfaces were analyzed, using the scanning electron microscope (SEM). The results approved the analytical relationship and indicated that a suitable explosive material must be utilized for compaction of tungsten powder.