Tensile properties of tungsten-rhenium wires with nanofibrous structure

In this study, the mechanical properties of tungsten-rhenium wires with nanofibrous microstructure were investigated at both room temperature (RT) and 800℃. The strengthening mechanism associated to the nanofibrous microstructure was discussed. The results showed that the tungsten-rhenium wires with nanofibrous grains exhibited a very high tensile strength reaching values of 3.5 GPa and 4.4 GPa for the coarse (grains diameter of 240 nm) and fine (grains diameter of 80 nm) wires, respectively. With increasing the temperature from RT to 800℃, the tensile strength decreased slightly but still held high values (1.8 GPa and 3.8 GPa). All the fracture surfaces exhibited apparent necking and characteristics of spear-edge shaped fracture surface, indicating excellent ductility of the wires. A model of the strengthening mechanism of these tungsten-rhenium wires was proposed.