5 Interesting Facts About Tungsten

At Special Metals, it’s fair to say we know a thing or two about refractory metals! One such metal is tungsten, which takes pride of place in this prestigious group. It has a variety of useful properties that confirms it as a hit with customers, making this material a versatile solution that many can benefit from.

To highlight some of these handy features, we thought we would compile the most noteworthy in this blog post. By finding out a little more about tungsten, you may discover an unexpected way that it can fit what you need.

With this in mind, let’s highlight some intriguing details about tungsten…

• An incredibly high melting point

One of the standout features of tungsten is that it has a melting point that trumps all other refractory metals. In fact, it doesn’t just beat refractory metals in terms of melting point, but it has the highest of all metals. That’s right, tungsten melts at a staggering 3422°C.

Naturally, this makes it an ideal solution to cope with high-temperature environments, as its durability and robustness ensure it lasts for the long term. So, if you’re on the lookout for a metal that can go the distance in extreme heat, tungsten may be the answer to your prayers!

• Resistant to corrosion

Not only is tungsten a strong metal when it comes to heat, but it’s also able to preserve its condition if exposed to damp or acidic environments. This means that, should you need a metal for an appliance that has to deal with these conditions, tungsten could be exactly what you’re looking for. So much so, it’s considered to be the fourth toughest element in the periodic table, behind carbon, baron, and chromium. If this isn’t enough reason for you to consider this strong metal for your project or appliance, then we don’t know what is!

• Periodically speaking…

As tungsten is a metal, it’s classed as an element, and as such appears on the periodic table. Its atomic number is 74 and its element symbol is W. But we’re sure you remember that from your chemistry lessons at school, right?

• A worldwide metal

Tungsten can be found all over the world, which makes it very accessible for those that need it. In 2020, the global market for tungsten stood at 91,500 tonnes. The countries in which tungsten metal is found the most are China, Russia, Portugal, South Korea, and Britain.

China is the main provider of tungsten, however, with around 80% of the world’s supply coming from this country.

• A variety of uses

Due to its favourable properties, tungsten is common in appliances and products all over the world. That high melting point we mentioned earlier? It comes very much in handy when looking for a metal to use in filament lamps, with tungsten wire used extensively for this purpose. The wire will be at high temperatures consistently while the light is in use, so it needs to be able to last without melting and breaking.

Tungsten bar has a more flexible use, and can be found in a variety of components for specialist applications in many different industries. It can be transformed into wire or rolled into sheets, depending on how you need it to work.

Speak to us for more

So now you know about some of the cool properties of tungsten metal, are you ready to order some for yourself? If so, be sure to check out the tungsten we offer as part of our service, and find out how you can get your hands on your own.

If you have any further enquiries, you can get in touch with our friendly team of experts for more information. Simply call us on 01268 820409 or email us at sales@special-metals.co.uk and we’ll gladly get back to you as soon as possible.

You can also contact us through our online form, where you can state what kind of metal you’re interested in and how much you need.

Posted on: Dec 22, 2021