Government-sponsored tungsten research and development efforts encompass a broad rage of technological activities. Typifying the extreme limits of efforts since January, 1960, studies have ranged from preparation of unalloyed metal to development of high-integrity fabricated shapes of tungsten-base materials. Nine major areas outline the broad over-all effort, and each is summarized within this report by brief technical discussions of 104 separate studies on 79 research programs. Included are preparation of metal, consolidation, primary and secondary working, joining, fabrication and performance of rocket nozzles, oxidation and other high-temperature reactions, protective coatings, properties, and physical metallurgy.

To aid in quick identification and easy location of specific technical data and information in the various reports and memoranda which have been prepared and distributed by the Defense Metals Information Center, as well as by DMIC's forerunner, the Titanium Metallurgical Laboratory, a classification by major subject matter was prepared. The classification covers reports through DMIC Report 193 and memoranda through DMIC Memorandum 183. (Author).

Weldment cracking is a broad complex field. Even if one considers only cracking of steel weldments, the problems range from cracking at temperatures near the solidus during welding to cracking at room temperature days, weeks, or months after welding is completed. Numerous reports of investigations in this field are contained in the published and unpublished literature. However, most of these reports cover only a particular problem in a specific area of the broad field of weldment cracking. This review attempts to cover the major aspects of the entire field of weldment cracking. Necessarily, the review is for the most part general, only being specific in a few instances to illustrate a point. (Author).

On October 3, 1963, a symposium was sponsored by the Bureau of Naval Weapons, Metalworking Processes and Equipment Program, on the application of high pressure in metal-deformation processing. Past research has shown that superimposed hydrostatic pressure can significantly increase the ductility at fracture of various materials. These observations have stimulated considerable interest in applying this hydrostatic-pressure effect to metal deformation processing, where it was anticipated that improved ductility and fabricability of brittle materials could be realized. Hydrostatic extrusion and hydrodynamic compressive forging were two such fabrication techniques discussed at the symposium, and preliminary results were found to be encouraging. Another fabrication process that will be investigated in the near future is sheet drawing, where the effect of superimposed pressure improves the ductility to fracture, it was noted that pressure cycling did not improve either the strength or ductility of steels containing various amounts of carbon. In addition to the mechanical-property effects, hydrostatic pressure has been found to affect measurably, numerous metallurgical properties of metals and alloys. (Author).

Since the combination of tensile properties and toughness that can be obtained with the maraging steels is higher than can be achieved with other steels by simple heat treatments, there is considerable interest in using the maraging steels for critical components such as rocket motor cases, pressure vessels, and aircraft forgings. This report includes information on the tensile, compressive, shear, bearing, dynamic modulus, impact, bend, fatigue, creep, and rupture properties of the 18 per cent nickel maraging steels and on the effect of temperature on these properties. Data for the properties of sheet, bar, and forgings, as well as data illustrating the effect of cold rolling, variation in the heat treatment, and elevated-temperature exposure also are presented. Data on the effect of specimen orientation, which are also included, indicate that the ductility and toughness of specimens designed to evaluate the properties in the short transverse direction are somewhat lower than in the other directions. The high strength and toughness that can be obtained in the 18 per cent nickel maraging steels make them attractive for certain critical applications that require these properties. The fabrication characteristics, weldability, and simple heat treatment are other advantages of these steels. (Author).