What Are Refractory Metals?
Most refractory metals have high melting points. Refractory metals mainly include tungsten (W), molybdenum (Mo), tantalum (Ta), niobium (Nb), rhenium (Re), zirconium (Zr), and hafnium (Hf). They have high melting points, high strength, hardness, low thermal expansion coefficient, low resistivity, good thermal stability, wear resistance, and strong corrosion resistance. They are irreplaceable in high-temperature and high-pressure fields such as aviation, aerospace, nuclear energy, electronics, and metallurgy.
Examples of Refractory Metals
Tantalum (Ta)
Features: high melting point, corrosion resistance
Applications: used to manufacture superconductors and superconducting magnets, artificial joints, vascular stents, etc.
Niobium (Nb)
Features: high melting point, corrosion resistance, good mechanical properties
Applications: widely used in high-temperature alloys, nuclear reactor structural materials, superconducting materials, etc.
Molybdenum (Mo)
Features: high melting point, corrosion resistance, good thermal conductivity and electrical conductivity
Applications: Used in the preparation of alloy steel, stainless steel, pipes, valves electronic components, etc., and also used in surgical instruments and implants.
Tungsten (W)
Features: high melting point, high hardness, high density, good corrosion resistance
Applications: Used to make tungsten filament bulbs, drills, milling cutters, electronic devices, etc., and tungsten alloys are used to make jewelry.
Zirconium (Zr)
Features: corrosion resistance, high melting point, good mechanical properties
Application: Artificial zirconium jewelry is used in jewelry. Used as a pigment and filler in cosmetics, such as lipstick and nail polish. Used in the nuclear industry, aerospace fields, and also in chemical equipment and nuclear reactors. Zirconium alloys are used to make artificial joints.
Hafnium (Hf)
Features: high melting point, corrosion resistance, good mechanical properties
Application: Hafnium isotopes are used for radioactive labeling and treatment in nuclear medicine, such as for tumor treatment. Hafnium alloys are used to make some medical devices, such as artificial joints and dental implants.
Rhenium (Re)
Features: high melting point, corrosion resistance, good heat resistance and wear resistance
Applications: used in high-temperature alloys, catalysts, resistance wires, metalized film contact materials, etc.
Where are refractory metals used and what advantages do they offer over other materials?
Refractory metals are used in a variety of technical applications, including in medical technology, in the aviation and aerospace industries, in electronics, and in many other industries in which high performance and reliability are required. Due to their special physical properties, such as their high melting point, they are used as hot zones in high-temperature furnaces, as glass melting electrodes, or as switching contacts in energy transmission.
Where to Buy Refractory Metals?
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