Refractory Metals at SMF
Carrying on from our last blog post, we thought we would inform you of some more refractory metals we use here at SMFUK.
Tungsten – Tungsten has the highest melting point of these refractory metals at 3422°C. It is very robust and has an extremely high tensile strength; it has the ability to be drawn into very thin wires. Tungsten’s corrosion resistance is also very good.
Applications include; lighting elements, X-ray targets, heating elements, missile components, and due to its high density is used as counter weights.
Niobium – Niobium has a similar structure to Tantalum and is produced in a similar method. It too has a very high melting point of around 2470°C. It has excellent corrosive resistance and has good cold ductility. It is however half as dense as Tantalum.
Applications include; sintering trays and boats, special chemical applications, superconductors, medical components, jet engine parts and is used in the lighting industry.
Zirconium – Zirconium is a lustrous, greyish-white, soft, ductile, and malleable, it is highly resistant to corrosion by alkalis, acids, salt water, and other agents. The melting point of zirconium is approx 1855°C
Applications include; laboratory crucibles, metallurgical furnaces, surgical appliances, missile components and vacuum tube filaments.
