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Tech Licensing Opportunity: Synthesis of Tungsten Tetraboride (WB4) by Electric Field Assisted Sintering (EFAS)
Tech Licensing Opportunity: Synthesis of Tungsten Tetraboride (WB4) by Electric Field Assisted Sintering (EFAS)
The Department of Energy’s Battelle Energy Alliance (BEA) is offering a licensing opportunity for a novel synthesis method for Tungsten Tetraboride (WB4) using Electric Field Assisted Sintering (EFAS). Identified under solicitation number BA-1537, this technology provides a solution for producing materials with exceptional hardness and thermal conductivity, which have historically been limited by technological constraints. The process is currently at Technology Readiness Level (TRL) 3 and is covered by US Provisional Patent Application No. 63/643,127. This opportunity is managed through the Idaho National Laboratory (INL) Technology Deployment department, which focuses on partnering with industry collaborators capable of commercializing proprietary innovations rather than engaging in procurement or providing funding.
The EFAS method improves upon traditional synthesis techniques like arc melting by using controlled sintering temperatures and accurate atomic ratios to preserve the desired WB4 phase without melting the components. This approach ensures high material quality with minimal impurities and allows for the production of larger batches, including custom sizes up to 12-inch discs. The resulting material is suitable for industrial machining tools in the aerospace and automotive sectors, ballistic protection in defense applications, and radiation shielding in nuclear reactors due to its neutron absorption capabilities. The process reduces overall production costs by utilizing less expensive raw materials and optimizing the synthesis cycle to prevent material degradation.
Interested parties must submit responses by the deadline of May 1, 2026. The place of performance is Idaho Falls, Idaho, and the primary point of contact is Andrew Rankin. This notice is categorized under NAICS 333248 All Other Industrial Machinery Manufacturing and PSC 9630 ADDITIVE METAL MATERIALS. There are currently zero attachments associated with this announcement.
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Contact and place of performance
Andrew Rankin
Idaho Falls, ID 83415
USA
Synthesis of Tungsten Tetraboride (WB4) by Electric Field Assisted Sintering (EFAS) A novel method for synthesizing tungsten tetraboride (WB4), a material with exceptional hardness and thermal properties, using Electric Field Assisted Sintering (EFAS). The Challenge: In the pursuit of materials with exceptional hardness and thermal conductivity, tungsten tetraboride (WB4) has been considered a compelling candidate si...
View moreKey Advantages:
Problems Solved
Market Applications
Development Status: TRL 3
US Provisional Patent Application No. 63/643,127, “METHODS OF FORMING REFRACTORY METAL BORIDES BY ELECTRIC FIELD ASSISTED SINTERING (EFAS),” BEA Docket No. BA-1537
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