About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2026 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
Materials Research in Reduced Gravity
|
| Presentation Title |
Microgravity Alloying of W-Heavy Alloys: Overview of FAMIS Flight Experiment on the ISS |
| Author(s) |
Douglas C. Hofmann, Scott Roberts, Miguel de brito Costa |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Douglas C. Hofmann |
| Abstract Scope |
This talk provides an overview of the FAMIS microgravity flight experiment, flown to the ISS in 2023. Two zirconium and copper-based, glass-forming alloys were reinforced with two diameters of tungsten spheres in varying volume fractions and then processed at 1200 C in microgravity to prevent sedimentation and to perform in-space alloying. The W reacted with the alloys to form an intermetallic phase that was homogeneously distributed in the fully crystalline alloy upon solidification. The samples were returned to the ground and were characterized and then wear tests were performed to demonstrate the dramatically improved wear resistance of the alloys after microgravity processing. Lessons learned about in-situ alloy in space, microgravity casting, and porosity will be discussed. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |