Tungsten metal

Tungsten metal pellet is a granular tungsten material with high melting point, high hardness, high density, etc. It is an important basic material for manufacturing cemented carbide, electrodes, filaments, and radiation shielding for various industrial and scientific research purposes.

Characteristics

High density: The density of tungsten is about 19.25g/cm³, which is a high-density metal. This gives tungsten metal particles a unique advantage in applications where high density materials are required, for example as a counterweight material in machine building, aerospace and other fields to increase the stability and balance of components.

High hardness: Tungsten has a very high hardness, which exceeds that of many steels in pure metal form. The high hardness characteristics allow tungsten metal particles to be used in the manufacture of wear-resistant components, cutting tools, etc., capable of maintaining good shape and performance under high-intensity friction and abrasion environments.

High melting point: Tungsten has a melting point of 3410°C, which is the highest melting point of all metal elements. The high melting point enables tungsten metal particles to maintain stable structure and performance under high temperature environment, which can be applied to high temperature components such as heating elements of high temperature furnaces and kilns, and combustion chambers of aviation engines.

Higher electrical conductivity: Although the electrical conductivity of tungsten is not as good as that of copper, aluminium and other metals, it also has a certain degree of electrical conductivity among metals. In some of the requirements for electrical conductivity and at the same time need high temperature resistance, high hardness and other characteristics of the occasion, tungsten metal particles can be used in the manufacture of electrodes, filaments and other electronic components.

Low Coefficient of Thermal Expansion: Tungsten has a low coefficient of thermal expansion, which means that its dimensions change relatively little when the temperature changes. This characteristic is very important for components that need to maintain dimensional stability in high temperature environments, such as applications in precision instruments, optical equipment and other fields.

Good chemical stability: at room temperature, tungsten is relatively stable in air and is not easily oxidised. It is only at 400-500°C that tungsten begins to oxidise, forming a blue-black WO₃ dense surface protective film. Tungsten is not easily corroded by acid, alkali and aqua regia at room temperature, but it is soluble in the mixed solution of hydrofluoric acid and aqua regia.

Unique electronic structure: The electronic structure of tungsten gives it some special chemical properties, such as acting as a catalyst in some chemical reactions or participating in the formation of special compounds. Its electronic structure also influences the physical and chemical properties of tungsten metal particles, giving them unique properties in different applications.

Applications

Powder metallurgy field:

Manufacture of tungsten products: Pure tungsten metal particles can be used to manufacture tungsten products in various forms, such as wires, rods, tubes, plates, etc. These products have good performances under harsh environments such as high temperature and high pressure, and they are widely used in the fields of machining, electronics, aerospace and so on.

Preparation of tungsten alloy: tungsten metal particles mixed with other metal powders (such as molybdenum, rhenium, copper, etc.) can be made into a variety of tungsten alloys. For example, tungsten-molybdenum alloy has high strength and high temperature resistance, and is commonly used in the manufacture of high-temperature furnace heating elements, electrodes for electronic tubes, etc. Tungsten-copper alloy combines the high melting point of tungsten and the good conductivity of copper, and can be used in the manufacture of electrodes for electric discharge machining and electronic packaging materials.

Production of Cemented Carbide Tools: Tungsten metal particles can be used to prepare tungsten carbide powder, which in turn can be used to produce cemented carbide tools, such as turning tools, milling cutters, drills and moulds. Cemented carbide tools have high hardness, high strength and wear resistance, and are suitable for processing various high hardness materials, such as steel, cast iron, alloys and so on.

Electronic industry field:

Electronic encapsulation materials: tungsten metal particles can be used as fillers in electronic encapsulation materials due to their high melting point and good electrical conductivity, which are used to improve the thermal and electrical conductivity of encapsulation materials, reduce the thermal expansion coefficient of encapsulation materials, and improve the reliability and stability of electronic components.

Electrode material: In some special electronic devices, such as gas discharge tubes, vacuum contactors, vacuum load switches, etc., tungsten metal particles can be used as electrode materials. Tungsten electrode has the advantages of high temperature resistance, arc ablation resistance, not easy to deform, etc., which can ensure the normal work of electronic devices.

Semiconductor manufacturing: In the process of semiconductor manufacturing, tungsten metal particles can be used to prepare tungsten thin film as the metal interconnect material of semiconductor devices. Tungsten film has good conductivity and blocking properties, which can prevent the diffusion of metal ions and improve the performance and reliability of semiconductor devices.

Aerospace field:

High-temperature structural components: the aerospace field requires high-temperature performance of materials, and tungsten metal particles can be used to manufacture high-temperature structural components, such as combustion chambers, turbine blades, nozzles, etc. of engines. Tungsten alloy materials have good strength and oxidation resistance at high temperatures, and can withstand high temperatures, high pressures and the impact of high-speed airflow.

Counterweight material: Due to the high density of tungsten metal particles, it can be used as counterweight material for the balance and stability of aerospace vehicles. For example, by adding tungsten counterweight blocks to the wings and tail of an aircraft, the centre of gravity of the aircraft can be adjusted to improve flight stability and manoeuvrability.

Radiation shielding materials: In the aerospace field, astronauts and aircraft need to face the radiation of cosmic rays, tungsten metal particles have good radiation shielding properties, and can be used to manufacture radiation shielding materials to protect the astronauts and the electronic equipment of the aircraft from the effects of radiation.

Paint and coating field:

Wear-resistant coatings: by adding tungsten metal particles to coatings, wear-resistant coatings can be prepared, which are used to improve the wear and corrosion resistance of materials. For example, tungsten-based wear-resistant coatings applied to the surfaces of mechanical parts, cutting tools, moulds, etc. can extend their service life.

Thermal Barrier Coating: On the surface of components of high-temperature equipment such as aviation engines and gas turbines, coating tungsten-based thermal barrier coating can effectively reduce the surface temperature of the components and improve the thermal efficiency and reliability of the equipment. Tungsten-based thermal barrier coatings have good high temperature resistance and heat insulation properties, and can withstand the scouring and corrosion of high-temperature airflow.

Medical field:

Radiotherapy: tungsten metal particles can be used to manufacture parts for radiotherapy equipment, such as radioactive particle implanters and gamma knives. Tungsten material has good biocompatibility and radiation shielding performance, which can ensure the safety and effectiveness of radiotherapy.

Medical Devices: In some medical devices, such as surgical knives, tweezers, scissors, etc., tungsten metal particles can be used to enhance the hardness and wear resistance of the devices, and improve the service life and performance of the medical devices.

Scientific research field:

Material research: tungsten metal particles, as an important material, have a wide range of applications in material science research. Researchers can study the effect of tungsten metal particles on material properties by changing their size, shape, structure and other parameters, providing theoretical basis and technical support for the development of new materials.

Physical experiments: In physical experiments, tungsten particles can be used to simulate astrophysical phenomena and study the high temperature and high pressure properties of materials. For example, in laser fusion experiments, tungsten particles can be used as a target material to absorb laser energy and generate high-temperature and high-pressure plasma.