| Abstract Scope |
Refractory alloys are critical for applications in extreme environments, yet their intrinsic brittleness, high melting temperatures, and poor processability limit widespread adoption. Advances in powder-based additive manufacturing (AM) and feedstock design now provide pathways to overcome these challenges. This presentation will first review current atomization methods for refractory alloys, including gas, plasma, and ultrasonic techniques, and assess their ability to produce powders with controlled morphology, size distribution, and oxygen content.
Building on this foundation, we will introduce a morphology-preserving coating method that incorporates oxide-dispersion-strengthened (ODS) elements onto refractory alloy powders. This strategy enhances processability during AM by stabilizing powder microstructure under high-energy thermal conditions and generating nanoscale dispersoids that improve thermal stability, ductility, and irradiation resistance. Recent results demonstrate the feasibility of fabricating tungsten- and molybdenum-based ODS alloys via electron beam powder bed fusion (EB-PBF), resulting in refined grain structures and improved mechanical performance.
By linking powder preparation to AM outcomes, this work highlights the critical role of innovative feedstock processing in enabling multifunctional refractory alloys for structural and functional applications in extreme conditions. |