•W-ZrC composites without residual WC were prepared by infiltrating molten Zr2Cu into partially carburized W preforms.•The reaction time needed to produce a fully densified W-ZrC bulk ceramic is distinctly shortened.•The flexural strength and fracture toughness for the W-ZrC composite are 554 MPa and 9.7 MPa·m1/2, respectively.W-ZrC composites without residual WC have been prepared for the first time by reactive infiltration at 1300 °C for 1 h in vacuum using a molten Zr2Cu alloy and a newly designed partially-carburized W powder as raw materials. The as-synthesized composites consist of two major phases of W and ZrC, in which the content of W is 65 vol%. The reaction time needed to produce a fully densified W-ZrC bulk ceramic is distinctly shortened by this means, as contrasted with conventional WC/W or WC preforms. The microstructural evolution during reactive melt infiltration is investigated to obtain a better understanding of reaction mechanisms and mechanical properties of the W-ZrC composites derived by infiltrating Zr2Cu alloy into partially carburized W preforms. The flexural strength, Young's modulus and fracture toughness for the W-ZrC composite are 554 MPa, 339 GPa and 9.7 MPa·m1/2, respectively.

A 30 vol.% ZrCp/W composite has been deformed in compression in the temperature range of 1200–1600°C. Dislocation nucleation mechanism in ZrC particles is discussed by analyzing the harmonious deformation between tungsten-matrix and ZrC particles. Thermal activation apparently increases the mobility of screw segments, resulting in the formation of many kinetics jogs and thermodynamics jogs above 1300°C. The formation mechanisms of the dislocation configurations are studied.

High temperature electrical resistivities of ZrCp/W composites prepared by hot-pressing had been continuously tested in a temperature range of RT–900 °C. A semi-theoretical model for predicting the effect of microstructure, ZrC particle content, and temperature on electrical resistivities of ZrCp/W composites was proposed by decomposing a basic unit of particle–reinforced metal-matrix composites (PMMC) into the basic series and parallel circuits of metal-matrix and particle. Experimental high temperature electrical resistivities of ZrCp/W composites agree well with the theoretical prediction.