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Abstract Spark plasma sintering (SPS) is one of the methods used to achieve the low-temperature densification of refractory metal materials. In this study, powder prepared through a wet chemical method was consolidated via SPS at 1100 °C, 1200 °C, 1350 °C, 1600 °C, and 1800 °C to obtain a high-performance W-TiC-Y 2 O 3 composite material. Densification was studied by analyzing the densification curve and changes in the microstructure of the samples. This process could be divided into three stages: the bonding stage, the sintering neck growth stage, and the shrinkage and spherification stage of closed pores. Surface diffusion and grain boundary diffusion played different roles in densification. The density, grain size, and Vickers hardness of the tungsten material increased significantly as temperature increased. This study evaluated the sintering process and provided a basis for obtaining high-performance tungsten materials through SPS. Highlights • Surface diffusion and grain boundary diffusion played different roles in densification. • The density, grain size, and Vickers hardness of tungsten increased as temperature increased. • The densification of the composite accelerated at the initial stage of sintering but decelerated after a certain period. • The densification of the powder at different sintering stages was influenced by different mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]