COMMON & TRADE NAMES | APPLICATIONS | ||
|---|---|---|---|
 | TUNGSTEN | Tungsten is very hard, tough, durable, has a high melting point, high density, and low vapor pressure amongst its unique properties. Consequently tungsten is an excellent material for use in applications requiring dimensional stability, balancing components for the aerospace and automotive industries, high vacuum technology, glass seals, furnace components, electrical and electronic components, and many more. Additionally, tungsten’s high density gives it the ability to absorb radiation and is therefore used in medical applications such as x-ray machines. Tungsten has inertness to oxygen, acids and alkalis, and is not attacked by nitric, hydrofluoric, or sulphuric acid solutions. Tungsten is commonly added to steel to enhance its physical properties and alloyed with copper, nickel, and iron to provide high density, corrosion resistant, durable, and machinable special alloys. | more info |
 | MOLYBDENUM | Molybdenum is a durable refractory metallic element with unique properties that are ideal for high temperature applications. It maintains high strength at elevated temperatures, excellent thermal properties, good electrical conductivity, low coefficient of expansion and low vapor pressure at high temperatures. Molybdenum resists non oxidising mineral acids and only reacts with water above 600 degrees. These properties ensure its suitability for special applications which would not be possible with many of the more common metals and alloys and it's used extensively in the structural steel, electronics, chemical, aerospace, military, nuclear and metalworking industries. | more info |
 | TANTALUM | Tantalum, a versatile transition metal, has high melting and boiling points and excellent corrosion resistance. It is one of the most inert metals known, being resistant to most acids and corrosion, and non toxic to the human body. It It also is highly ductile, with high formability and weldability. Tantalum is almost completely immune to chemical attack at temperatures below 150°C, and is attacked only by some acids. Below 150 degrees C Tantalum doesn't oxidise and therefore has perfect protection against rust. About 50% of the tantalum consumed each year is used within the electronics industry. Due to its chemical inertness it is also used extensively in the medical industry for joint replacements and medical implants, and in the chemical industry for processing equipment and vessels. | more info |
The term ‘refractory metal’ is used to describe a group of metal elements which have exceptionally high melting points and are resistant to wear, corrosion, and deformation.
Industrial uses of the term refractory metal usually refers to the five most commonly used elements:
THE KEY FEATURES OF REFRACTORY METALS
The stand out feature of refractory metals is their resistance to heat. All of the five industrial refractory metals have melting points in excess of 3632°F (2000°C) and can maintain their hardness and high strength at elevated temperatures.
Refractory metals all are ‘heavy’ with high densities. They are good heat and electrical conductors, yet resistant to thermal shock, meaning that repeated heating and cooling will not easily cause expansion, stress, and cracking.
The have a good resistance to creep, which is the tendency of metals to slowly deform under the influence of stress. The refractory metals are also resistant to corrosion, although they do readily oxidise at high temperatures.
Refractory metals have a high level of hardness at room temperatures which remains stable at high temperatures.They are strong under extremely high temperatures and are innately hard, making these metals perfect for drilling and cutting tools.
Some other common applications from refractory metals include furnace components, wire filaments, tools, chemical vessels within corrosive atmospheres, engine components and balancing weights.
Also, these metals are highly resistant to factors like thermal shock. This means that they will not experience cracking, expansion or stress when cooled and heated repeatedly.
WHY USE REFRACTORY METALS?
Refractory metals can be classified by their unique physical and chemical properties. It’s important to have a good understanding of these properties to be able to select suitable metals for any given application.
Although the specific characteristics of each element differ because they come from different groups in the periodic table, they all possess some common general properties.
Thanks to their unique qualities, refractory metals are highly beneficial to a variety of applications and industries. Their key benefits include:
A Super High Melting Point
Refractory metals such as tungsten, molybdenum and tantalum have very high melting points, making them beneficial in glass making.
High Strength
They have outstanding strength even at very high temperatures. For instance, tungsten made rocket cones have twice the tensile strength of iron under normal temperatures.
Outstanding Abrasion and Wear Resistance
Refractory metals, particularly when added as alloys, can extend the lifespan of seals, valve seats, nozzles and other areas prone to high wear.
Excellent Corrosion Resistance
Chemical plant process pipework is typically made of refractory metals or their alloys, because of their high degree of corrosion resistance and strength compared to stainless steel, copper and plastics.
Extreme Hardness
The majority of cutting tools used these days are made from materials like tungsten carbide. The hardness of refractory metals also makes them suitable for use in mining and drilling components for oil and gas wells.
Thermal Shock Resistance
Refractory metals like tungsten can resist stresses induced by rapid expansion from heat. has a With its very high melting point tungsten can withstand a series of on and off heat cycles without affecting its intactness.
High Density and Specific Gravity
The high density characteristic is useful for applications like aircraft gyroscopes, motorsport balancing, structural components and sports equipment such as golf club heads.
Heat and Electrical Conduction
Refractory metals such as tungsten and molybdenum make excellent heat sinks plus have many electronic or electrical applications due to their excellent heat conduction properties.
APPLICATIONS OF REFRACTORY METALS:
Following are some examples of the many applications of the refractory metals tungsten, molybdenum and tantalum:
Automotive ignition systems
Incandescent, fluorescent, and automotive lamp filaments
Electrodes for xenon are lamps
Semiconductor supports
Electrodes for inert gas arc welding
High capacity cathodes
Bushings
Valve seats
Blades for cutting hard and abrasive materials
Ball point pen points
Masonry saws and drills
Radiation shields
Aircraft counterweights
Self-winding watch counterweights
Aerial camera balancing mechanisms
Helicopter rotor blade balance weights
Gold club weight inserts
Dart bodies
Armament fuses
Vibration damping
Military Ordnance
Shotgun pellets
Lubricants
Anodes and targets for x-ray tubes
Electronic tube emitters
Rocket nozzles
Heating elements and radiation shields
Uranium processing crucibles
Reinforcement in metal-matrix composites
Catalysts in chemical and petrochemical processes
Alloying elements in steels and superalloys
Rocket skirts, cones, and heat shields
High-precision grinding wheel spindles
Spray metallizing
Die-casting dies
Zinc refining pumps, launders, valves, stirrers and thermocouple wells
Electrodes and stirring rods in glass manufacture
Electric furnace heating elements, boats, heat shields, and muffler liner
Missile Components
Nuclear reactor control rod production
Switch electrodes
Supports and backing for transistors & rectifiers
Vacuum tube getters
Missile and rocket engine components
Filaments & support wires for automobile headlight
Superconductors
Chemical process equipment
Heat shields in high-temperature vacuum furnaces
Alloying additives in ferrous alloys & superconductors
Alloying additions in irons, steels, stainless steels, tool steels and nickel-base superalloys
High-temperature furnaces components
Electrolytic capacitors
Vacuum tube filaments
Bayonet heaters
Thermometer wells
Surgical implants
Chemical process equipment
Heat exchangers
Cutting tools
Aerospace engine components
Crucibles for handling molten metal and alloys
Alloy additives in superalloys
