Cast carbide-metal composite components via laser based solid freeform fabrication

Tungsten-titanium-carbon base alloys are a promising candidate material for high performance propulsion systems, given their ability to form carbide-metal composites having a fine microstructure consisting of a dispersion of hard titanium carbide particles within a tough tungsten rich metal matrix. These high temperature, non-eroding materials can be produced by laser melting mixtures of tungsten and titanium carbide powders. The fabrication of cast carbide-metal composite components via laser based solid freeform fabrication techniques is currently being explored at the Center for Laser Applications (CLA) at the University of Tennessee Space Institute (UTSI). The microstructure and hardness of the fabricated cast carbide-metal composite components are presented in this paper.