Tungsten2020: International Conference on Tungsten, Refractory & Hardmaterials

The 9th International Conference on Tungsten, Refractory & Hardmaterials was held in 2014 and numerous developments have taken place in the intervening years. Remarkable among these has been the explosive development of additive manufacturing (3D printing) using refractory metals and alloys, and their carbides. There has also been a notable initiative, driven by concerns for environment, safety, and health (ESH), toward the development of cobalt-free carbide and alloy compositions. The time period has also seen growth in the interest of field-assisted sintering technology (also called spark plasma sintering) of refractory metals and carbides. Further, there has been advancement in the particle deposition method called cold spray for refractory materials. Interest in nanocrystalline materials remains high and there have been several interesting developments in the area of nano-phase refractory metals and alloys.