Nanocomposite Scandate Tungsten Powder for High Current Density and Long Life Thermionic Cathodes

Vacuum Process Engineering, Inc. (VPE), in collaboration with the University of California, Davis (UC Davis), proposes to develop and quantitatively verify a large scale production process for scandate tungsten nanocomposite powder to be used in high current density and long life cathodes during the Phase II effort. The plan for implementation of the large scale production process at VPE with powder and pellet quality evaluation at UC Davis was developed during the Phase I effort of the program.The purpose of the Phase II Period of Performance is to bring the Phase I large scale production plan to fruition as a prototype manufacturing process of the nanocomposite scandate tungsten powder. This will entail facility layout, equipment installation and retrofitting as well as production of nanocomposite material. Batches of the nanocomposite powder produced at VPE facilities will be evaluated after each processing step; the collected data will be used to complete a feedback loop to adjust details of the fabrication parameters and our facility efficiency. These quality evaluation and emission demonstrations will be made at UC Davis as well as at our collaborator facilities.