TUNGSTEN

CHEMETAL USA is a world leader in the complex science of powder metallurgy (PM). Among the most important processes in PM is sintering—the application of very high heat and pressure to pure powder forms of tungsten and various alloys until they combine at the molecular level.

Temperature is critical in sintering because the metal/s do not actually melt into liquid form. Rather, their atoms diffuse across particle boundaries and fuse together. The resulting sintered billets of pure or alloyed tungsten are further hot rolled, forged, and heat treated into plates; sheets; strips; foil; rods; and wire. These may require additional grinding, polishing, or cleaning based on surface conditions specified by our customers.

Great expertise, experience, and exceptional quality control is required at every step. Nevertheless, the use of pure powders is highly cost-efficient; it can reduce or eliminate the need to use metal removal processes, thereby increasing yields and lowering costs.

Tungsten Properties

• High Density: 19.25 g/cm³
• High Melting Point: 3422°C (6192 °F)
• Low Vapor Pressure
• High Tensile Strength
• Low Coefficient of Thermal Expansion
• Low Electrical Resistivity
• Good Machinability
• High Absorption Capacity
• High Elastic Modulus

Tungsten Applications

Despite its rarity, tungsten is among the most used materials in high-tech industries, including military; aerospace; nuclear energy; electronics; and chemical. Tungsten can be used to produce cutting tools; gas-turbine blades; thermal tubes; electronic contacts and radiation shields; and high temperature furnace parts, among many others. Such products usually contain a small percentage of other metals to amplify or augment its essential properties. These alloying metal and non-metal elements include molybdenum; titanium; tantalum; carbon; copper; nickel; and zirconium, to name a few.

Cemented Tungsten Carbide

Cemented tungsten carbide, which contains very fine carbonized tungsten particles, is used extensively as a cutting material. Indeed, tungsten carbide and tungsten iron comprise the largest segment of the tungsten-based market.

Tungsten heavy alloy is another widely used composite material which contains 90-97% tungsten, commonly alloyed with nickel, iron, and/or copper. These mixtures are especially important in the manufacture of products that require high density, radiation absorbency, and wear resistance, such as balance weights, radiation shielding, anvil blocks, etc.

Heating Elements And Shields

The very high melting point and low vapor pressure of tungsten alloy components make them ideal for use in heating elements and shields in many types of furnaces, including hot isostatic pressing (HIP); crystal growth; sintering; and vacuum furnaces. Machined from tungsten rod, sheet or wire, these components maintain great strength, high chemical stability, and corrosion resistance over a long service life.

Sputtering Targets And Vapor Evaporation

The high chemical purity and homogeneity of machinable tungsten make it an ideal material for use as sputtering targets and vapor evaporation, while its extremely high density allows it to absorb radiation and resist corrosion when utilized as a radiation shielding material.

Tungsten can also be combined with tantalum, niobium, or molybdenum to produce a refractory metal capable of withstanding 1300 °C and higher temperatures. Tungsten copper material boasts high electrical and thermal conductivity perfectly suited to use as arcing and vacuum contacts, heat sinks, and electrodes in high temperature environments.

In summary, tungsten’s myriad performance attributes are critical across an almost unimaginable range of industries and applications, from health care to quartz glass; coating and thermal processes to ion implantation.

• Furnace Components
• Semiconductor Base Plates
• Ion Implantation Cathodes And Anodes
• Sintering And Annealing Boats And Charge Carriers
• Radiation Shielding, Sputtering Targets and Electrodes
• Components for Electron Tubes