Pure Molybdenum Wire VS Molybdenum Lanthanum Alloy Wire

Pure Molybdenum Wire VS Molybdenum Lanthanum Alloy Wire

Let’s learn more about the advantages of Mola over Moly by comparing pure molybdenum wire and molybdenum lanthanum alloy wire.

Molybdenum Lanthanum Wire

Molybdenum Lanthanum Wire

–The Background

Recently, pure molybdenum wire and molybdenum lanthanum alloy wire are used in EDM wire cutting extensively. The main requirements of wire cutting for those metal and alloy materials are the broken rate, discharge efficiency, and material loss. The quality and performance of these two kinds of wires can be also measured by ductility, tensile strength, damage resistance, and electronic escape work.

–The Experiment

Some researchers employed pure molybdenum electrode wire and molybdenum lanthanum electrode wire products and tested their performance respectively under the same EDM wire cutting conditions. The following features were measured.

–The Result

  • Thermal Performance: Molybdenum wire is prone to brittle fracture when the temperature exceeds 1200 ℃, while the alloy version breaks when the temperature surpasses 1400 ℃.
  • Strength: When φ=0.18mm, the tensile strength of the molybdenum wire is 1800 ~ 2200N/mm2; Yet, the strength of molybdenum lanthanum alloy wire is 1900 ~ 2300N/mm2.
  • Damage Resistance: When φ=0.18mm, the diameter loss of the pure metal is 0.0006875mm/h, while that of the alloy product is about 0.0006565mm/h.
  • The molybdenum lanthanum alloy wire has a better performance compared with the molybdenum wire.

Conclusion

Molybdenum lanthanum alloy and pure molybdenum have different properties that make them suitable for various applications. Pure molybdenum is an excellent material for thermal uses due to its high melting point and resistance to corrosion, while molybdenum lanthanum alloy has superior mechanical properties and high-temperature performance.

Niobium-based Photoactive Water Splitting Catalyst

Niobium-based Photoactive Water Splitting Catalyst

Niobium-based photoactive semiconductors have been extensively used as water-splitting catalysts because of the following features.

  • Desirable bandgap: The photo-catalyst must have the desirable bandgap that allows oxidation and reduction reactions to happen. Namely, the catalyst should have a minimum bandgap of 1.23eV so that H2O would change into O2 and H+ would transform into H2.
  • Positive conduction band: The valence band and conduction band matter. The more positive the conduction band is, the higher the reduction potential the catalyst has. For instance, niobates possess a more positive position of conduction bands compared with tantalates, so they have higher reduction potentials for redox reactions.
  • Special structures: Niobium-based semiconductors have special structures, so they have better photocatalytic performance. Niobium compounds have different structures due to their crystallization. For instance, the symmetry of NbO4-tetrahedral and NbO6-octahedral units could be easily tailored, and Nb5+ has a large affinity to oxygen.
  • Various types: Nb-based materials can be categorized into three types. Niobium pentoxide stands out for its electronic and morphological properties. Niobium-layered compounds are promising photo-catalysts with a 2D layered arrangement and a large surface area. You can add niobium as a dopant agent to improve the reaction efficiency as well.

Other Uses of Niobium

Niobium is a grey ductile metal with a range of applications.

About 90% of niobium is used to manufacture high-end steel. Adding a small amount of niobium to the steel could increase the strength, toughness, and corrosion resistance of steel. The weldability and formability could also be improved.

Niobium is commonly applied to make superconducting materials as well. The well-known Apollo Service Module, the Large Hadron Collider, and the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor employed numerous superconductors.

Related reading: 10 Important Uses Of Niobium

Conclusion

A variety of niobium-based photoactive semiconductors are used as catalysts to enhance the performance of artificial photosynthesis and solar water splitting because of their chemical and structural properties. Advanced Refractory Metals (ARM) is a leading supplier of niobium and its alloys. For more information, please check our homepage.

Titanium Fastener VS. Stainless Steel Fastener

Titanium Fastener VS. Stainless Steel Fastener

Let’s begin with some basic information.

As a tough and corrosion-resistant alloy, stainless steel has been used since the 20th century. It is composed of about 10.5% chrome and a variety of other elements, which include aluminum, carbon, nickel, molybdenum, nitrogen, sulfur, silicon, titanium, copper, and niobium. The chromium content contributes to its rust-resistance and heat-resistance features. Thanks to all these desirable properties, stainless steel fasteners and other stainless steel parts are widely employed in the construction, automotive, and medical industries.

electronics materials

Titanium is a light yet tough metal. Titanium fasteners have a low density of 4.5 g/cm3 and a high strength-to-weight ratio. The melting point of titanium is over 1650 °C and the boiling point is 3287 °C. So, the lustrous silvery metal is perfect for chemical appliances, aircraft skeletons, marine apparatus, and medical equipment.

Stainless Steel VS. Titanium: Corrosion Resistance

Both stainless steel fasteners and titanium fasteners are tough materials that could operate in harsh environments. However, these corrosion-resistant parts have different mechanisms.

Stainless steel fights against rusting with a thin and strong chromium oxide layer, which would regenerate quickly if it is damaged. The susceptibility of certain stainless steel varieties to corrosion depends on their chromium content. A higher proportion of chromium in the metal decreases the likelihood of rust formation. It should be mentioned that stainless steel is not resistant to all corrosive surroundings. Some chemical environments, for example, an aqueous environment containing chloride, may destroy this protective layer, and corrosion follows.

 

Similarly, titanium oxidizes and forms a thin layer on the surface to prevent the metal from further oxidation. Different from stainless steel, the layer adheres firmly to the metal surface, and will not degrade or peel off over time due to atmospheric exposure. It provides protection against a range of substances, such as organic acids, chloride solutions, and diluted forms of sulfuric and hydrochloric acids. Besides, titanium is a specialty metal with high corrosion resistance and physical stability. So, titanium fasteners possess higher corrosion resistance than stainless steel fasteners, and they are applied to extreme environments involving alkalis, acids, and other industrial chemicals.

 

In short, Titanium offers excellent corrosion resistance and mechanical stability, while stainless steel exhibits decent mechanical properties but lacks in corrosion resistance.

Stainless Steel VS. Titanium: Strength-to-Density Ratio

Strength-to-density ratio is another striking difference between stainless steel fasteners and titanium fasteners.

Titanium stands out for its strength-to-weight ratio. It has a density of 4.51g/cm³, which is much lower than steel of 7.8-8 g/cm3. In other words, titanium can provide the same amount of strength as steel at 40% of its weight. Such an excellent strength-to-density ratio makes titanium a desirable material to make planes, naval ships, space crafts, and missiles. You can also add aluminum, zirconium, and other elements to improve the properties of titanium parts.

Related reading: How Is Titanium Used In Aerospace/Aeronautics Applications?

Stainless Steel VS. Titanium: Biocompatibility

Both stainless steel bolts and titanium bolts are commonly used in the medical industry.

 

Because of good biocompatibility with human tissues and blood, titanium fasteners are typically employed to make heart stents, teeth implants, hip balls, and sockets in the human body. These apparatuses are also applied to make surgical instruments such as crutches and wheelchairs.

 

Stainless steel fasteners are not biocompatible and come with fewer uses. These devices are utilized to make operating tables and steam sterilizers in hygienic environments.

Related reading: Applications Of Titanium Materials In the Medical Industry

Stainless Steel VS. Titanium: How to Choose?

In a word, titanium fasteners are preferred by high-end industries like aerospace and the medical field because of better corrosion resistance, higher strength-to-density ratio, and good biocompatibility, while stainless steel fasteners are suitable for large-scale constructions that have fewer requirements on these properties.

 

Titanium products are popular in the aerospace industry which puts much more stress on weight than strength. They are also used in the dental and medical industries since titanium is biocompatible and nontoxic. Stainless steel has advantages over titanium when a large quantity is needed for construction. You’ll find stainless steel useful for its weldability and lower cost. At last, here is a table that provides a summary of the differences between stainless steel and titanium.

Is Tantalum Oxide a Semiconductor?

Tantalum oxide (Ta2O5) is a chemical compound that has been widely used in the field of electronics and optics due to its excellent properties, including a high refractive index, good thermal stability, and excellent dielectric properties. However, the question remains: is tantalum oxide a semiconductor?

Tantalum Pentoxide

The short answer is yes, tantalum oxide can exhibit semiconductor properties, but it depends on its composition and processing. Tantalum oxide can exist in different crystal structures, and the electrical properties of each structure can vary significantly. In its amorphous form, tantalum oxide behaves like a high-k dielectric material, meaning it has a high capacitance but low conductivity. However, when tantalum oxide is doped with certain impurities, it can exhibit semiconductor behavior.

One of the most common dopants used in tantalum oxide is niobium (Nb). Nb-doped tantalum oxide (TaNbO) has been extensively studied for its potential as a resistive switching material in non-volatile memory devices. In these devices, a thin layer of TaNbO is sandwiched between two metal electrodes. When a voltage is applied, the TaNbO layer undergoes a phase change from an insulating to a conductive state, allowing for data storage.

Another example of tantalum oxide exhibiting semiconductor behavior is in the form of nanocrystals. Tantalum oxide nanocrystals can be synthesized with a variety of sizes and shapes and have shown potential as a photocatalyst in solar cells. When excited by light, the nanocrystals can generate electron-hole pairs, leading to a photocurrent that can be used to generate electricity.

In addition to its potential in electronics and optics, tantalum oxide’s semiconductor properties also make it a promising material for sensing applications. TaNbO-based sensors have been developed to detect gases such as hydrogen and ammonia. These sensors work by measuring changes in the electrical conductivity of the TaNbO layer in the presence of the target gas.

In conclusion, tantalum oxide can exhibit semiconductor properties depending on its composition and processing. Doped tantalum oxide and tantalum oxide nanocrystals have shown potential in various applications, including non-volatile memory devices, solar cells, and sensors. With further research and development, tantalum oxide may find even more applications in the field of electronics and beyond.

What Should be the Material of the Heating Element to be Used in Vacuum Furnace?

What Should be the Material of the Heating Element to be Used in Vacuum Furnace?

What Is A Vacuum Furnace?

A vacuum furnace is a type of heating equipment with lots of components used in a vacuum surrounding. Generally, it is composed of vacuum vessels, hot zones, pumping systems, cooling systems, and temperature & vacuum control systems. Among them, the hot zone is the heart of a vacuum furnace because it largely affects the process quality, the temperature, the pressure, and the operating cost.

Vacuum Furnace

What Are the Benefits of A Vacuum Furnace?

A reliable vacuum furnace comes with the following advantages.

  • Less Heat Loss: There is no air in the chamber, so there would be less heat loss caused by air convection. Additionally, the temperature in a vacuum furnace is well controlled within the hot zone.
  • Less Contamination: A vacuum furnace features low contamination by carbon, oxygen, and other gases since there is no air inside.
  • High Purity: The pumping systems remove low-temperature by-products, so we could get a higher purity end product.
  • Controlled Process: The process can be computer-controlled.

With these desired properties, vacuum furnaces are used to carry out heating processes such as annealing, sintering, brazing, hardening, and tempering.

Why Choose Molybdenum for Vacuum Furnace?

Molybdenum is used to manufacture vacuum furnace apparatus for the good points below.

  • High Melting Point: Molybdenum has a high melting point of 2,623 °C (4,753 °F). Only tantalum, tungsten, and carbon have higher melting points.
  • High Hardness at Elevated Temperature: Molybdenum is a strong grayish metal with a Mohs hardness of 5.5.
  • Perfect Thermal Properties: Molybdenum metal has high thermal conductivity, a low coefficient of expansion, and remarkable thermal shock resistance.
  • Great Resistance: This refractory metal is highly resistant to corrosion and creeps.
What is Tantalum Tungsten Alloy?

What is Tantalum Tungsten Alloy?

What is Tantalum Tungsten Alloy?

–Tungsten the Element

Tungsten the element (W, 74) is a Block D, Group 6, Period 6 metal element with an atomic weight of 183.84. It was found by Torbern Bergman in 1781. Tungsten has the highest melting point (3420℃) of all the metallic elements, and its density is about 1.7 times that of lead. This element is also famous for its high strength and melting point.

tantalum valuable

–Types of Tantalum Tungsten Alloy

The tantalum tungsten alloys have 3 variants according to their percentage of tungsten added. Ta2.5W, or tantaloy60, has 2.5% tungsten and 0.5% niobium. Ta7.5W, or tantaloy61, has 7.5% tungsten, while Ta10W possesses 10% tungsten and is also called tantaloy63. These alloys have a high melting point of 3005-3030 °C and a large density of 16.7-16.9 g/cm3.

–Tantalum Tungsten Alloy Applications

The application fields of tantalum tungsten alloys lie in the chemical processing industry and heater exchange industry. Similar to pure tantalum, these tantalum tungsten alloys keep useful features such as high melting point, tension resistance, and high corrosion resistance. An oxide layer is formed initially, and it is stable at temperatures below 260°C. This layer could stand strong hot acids like HCl and H2SO4. Because of great thermal conductivity, these alloys are also commonly found to make heat exchangers.

Comparison between Them

Pure tantalum and tantalum tungsten alloys have similarities and disparities in properties and application fields.

As for physical and chemical properties, pure metal and its alloys with tungsten content share some common points. They are strong materials withstanding high temperatures just like pure tantalum. More importantly, they have higher melting points and density, representing their higher strength. Here this article lists the detailed information as follows.

In terms of uses and applications, you can find them both used as chemical reaction pipes and heat changers. However, pure tantalum finds its special applications as capacitors and surgical implants. You’d better take budgets and efficiency into consideration since the tantalum tungsten alloy is a bit more costly but efficient than the pure tantalum.

Pure Tantalum VS. Tantalum Tungsten Alloy

Pure Tantalum VS. Tantalum Tungsten Alloy

What is Tantalum?

–Tantalum the Element

Tantalum the element (Ta, 73) is located in Block D, Group 5, Period 6 in the periodic table, and its atomic weight is 180.94788. This metal element was first discovered by Anders G. Ekeberg in 1802, yet pure tantalum was extracted by Werner von Bolton in 1903. Then, pure tantalum has been mainly mined from columbite-tantalite.

–Tantalum the Metal

Tantalum the metal is a typical refractory metal that is known for its high melting point and corrosion resistance. It looks lustrous gray-blue and has a melting point of 2980℃, which just falls after tungsten and rhenium. The density of pure tantalum is 16.4 g/cm3 and its elastic modulus is 185.7 GPa. All these figures indicate the thermal resistance and high strength of pure tantalum.

–Tantalum Applications

Because of these desirable mechanical and chemical properties, tantalum is applied to make lots of apparatus ranging from capacitors to reaction pipes.

First, nearly 50% to 70% pure tantalum contributes to the manufacturing of capacitors. A majority of capacitors are made from pure tantalum powers or wires. People choose this material because tantalum would form a passive oxide layer with dialectic strength. These capacitors could maintain ideal functions under high temperatures and high voltages. Additionally, tantalum capacitors are employed in the making of switches, mobile phones, fax machines, computers, automobiles, and even defense and military industries.

You can also find pure tantalum in the healthcare and medical field. Thanks to no immune response, the metal material is commonly used to make surgical implants. It can replace skull plates, connects torn nerves, or weaves abdominal muscle.

Pure tantalum could also be applied to make pipes for chemical reactions and heat exchangers for its unique corrosion and heat resistance ability. It can be generally found in the fields of aerospace and metallurgy.

What is Tantalum Tungsten Alloy?

–Tungsten the Element

Tungsten the element (W, 74) is a Block D, Group 6, Period 6 metal element with an atomic weight of 183.84. It was found by Torbern Bergman in 1781. Tungsten has the highest melting point (3420℃) of all the metallic elements, and its density is about 1.7 times that of lead. This element is also famous for its high strength and melting point.

–Types of Tantalum Tungsten Alloy

The tantalum tungsten alloys have 3 variants according to their percentage of tungsten added. Ta2.5W, or tantaloy60, has 2.5% tungsten and 0.5% niobium. Ta7.5W, or tantaloy61, has 7.5% tungsten, while Ta10W possesses 10% tungsten and is also called tantaloy63. These alloys have a high melting point of 3005-3030 °C and a large density of 16.7-16.9 g/cm3.

–Tantalum Tungsten Alloy Applications

The application fields of tantalum tungsten alloys lie in the chemical processing industry and heater exchange industry. Similar to pure tantalum, these tantalum tungsten alloys keep useful features such as high melting point, tension resistance, and high corrosion resistance. An oxide layer is formed on the surface and is stable at temperatures below 260°C. This layer could also stand strong hot acids like HCl and H2SO4. Because of great thermal conductivity, these alloys are also commonly found to make heat exchangers.

Comparison between Them

Pure tantalum and tantalum tungsten alloys have similarities and disparities in properties and application fields.

As for physical and chemical properties, pure tantalum metal and its alloys with tungsten content share some common points. Tantalum tungsten alloys are strong materials withstanding high temperatures just like pure tantalum. More importantly, they have higher melting points and density, representing their higher strength. Detailed information is listed as follows.

Table 1 Comparison between

Pure Tantalum and Tantalum Tungsten Alloy

  Ta W Ta2.5W Ta7.5W Ta10W
Melting Point (°C) 2980 3420 3005 3030 3025
Density (g/cm3) 16.4 19.24 16.7 16.8 16.8
Elastic Modulus (GPa) 185.7 N/A 195 205 200

In terms of uses and applications, you can find them both used as chemical reaction pipes and heat changers. However, pure tantalum finds its special applications as capacitors and surgical implants. You’d better take budgets and efficiency into consideration since the tantalum tungsten alloy is a bit more costly but efficient than the pure tantalum.

Is Tantalum The Same As Niobium?

Is Tantalum The Same As Niobium?

What is tantalum?

Tantalum is a metal element, element symbol is Ta, its atomic number is 73, its density is 16.68g/cm, and its melting point is 2980 DEG C, which is the third most refractory metal. Pure tantalum has a blue color, and excellent ductility, and can be rolled into a very thin plate in the cold state without intermediate annealing.

tantalum

The corrosion resistance of tantalum is the same as that of glass. In the medium temperature (about 150 DEG C), only fluorine, hydrofluoric acid, sulfur trioxide, alkali, and some molten salts have an effect on tantalum. Tantalum is stable at room temperature, it will accelerate oxidation to produce Ta205 if heated to 500 DEG C.

Tantalum has a series of excellent properties such as high melting point, low vapor pressure, and cold processing performance, high chemical stability, anti-corrosion ability, constant liquid metal oxide film, has important applications in electronics, metallurgy, the chemical industry, iron and steel, hard alloy, atomic energy, superconducting technology, automotive electronics, aerospace, medical health and scientific research and other high-tech fields.
What is niobium?

What is Niobium?

Niobium is a rare high melting point metal. The melting point is 2467 degrees, the density is 8.6g/cm3, and the lattice type is body-centered cubic. The coefficient of linear expansion (0~100 C) is 7.1 x 10-6. Adding a small amount of niobium into a steel can greatly improve the strength of steel, improve the mechanical and welding properties of steel, and improve its corrosion resistance.

Niobium can be used as a capacitor and niobium-based superalloy. FS – 85 alloy is a structural material for the orbiting engine on the shuttle. C – 103 alloy can be used as a rocket nozzle material. Other niobium alloys, such as Nb – Zr, Nb – Ti, Nb – Ti – Ta, can be used as superconducting materials, and are widely used in magnetic resonance medical human images.

Niobium-based compounds and complexes can be used as catalysts to remove pollution, selective oxidation, and hydrogenation.

Is tantalum the same as niobium?

No. Tantalum and niobium are transition metals that are commonly found together in nature. They have very similar physical and chemical properties. Their properties of hardness, conductivity, and resistance to corrosion largely determine their primary uses today.
The reason for the similarity between niobium and tantalum is the size which is the result of the lanthanide contraction. Thus, the niobium and tantalum have the same size and due to the same size, tantalum and niobium have the same ionic and covalent radii.

Conclusion

Tantalum is chemically much like niobium because both have similar electronic configurations and because the radius of the tantalum ion is nearly the same as that of niobium as a result of the lanthanoid contraction. Niobium is a lustrous, gray, ductile metal with a high melting point, relatively low density, and superconductor properties. Tantalum is a dark blue-gray, dense, ductile, very hard, and easily fabricated metal. It is highly conductive to heat and electricity and renowned for its resistance to acidic corrosion.

Stanford Advanced Materials produce our tantalum products from the metal powder to the finished product. We only use the purest tantalum powder as the source material. This is how we can guarantee you a very high material purity.
We guarantee a purity of 99.95% for our sintered quality tantalum (metallic purity without Nb). The remaining portion is made up primarily of the following elements according to a chemical analysis:

Element Typical max. value
[μg/g]		 Guaranteed max. value
[μg/g]
Fe 17 50
Mo 10 50
Nb 10 100
Ni 5 50
Si 10 50
Ti 1 10
W 20 50
C 11 50
H 2 15
N 5 50
O 81 150
Cd 5 10
Hg – 1
Pb 5 10
Is Tantalum More Strong Than Tungsten?

Is Tantalum More Strong Than Tungsten?

What is tantalum?

Tantalum, a metallic element, is found mainly in tantalite and is symbiotic with niobium. Tantalum is moderately hard, and ductile and can be drawn into thin foil in the form of filaments. Its coefficient of thermal expansion is very small.

Tantalum has excellent chemical properties and is extremely resistant to corrosion. Although tantalum is highly resistant to corrosion, its corrosion resistance is due to the generation of a stable protective film of tantalum pentoxide (Ta2O5) on the surface. It does not react to hydrochloric acid or concentrated nitric acid, either under cold or hot conditions.

It can be used to make evaporating vessels, etc. It can also be used as electrodes for electronic tubes, rectifiers, and electrolytic capacitors. It is also used in medical treatment to make thin sheets or threads to mend damaged tissues.

An Overview of Ta Element

Chemical symbol Ta, gray metal, in the periodic table belongs to the VB group, atomic number 73, atomic weight 180.9479, body-centered cubic crystal, common chemical compound valence +5.

What is tungsten?

Tungsten (W) is one of the so-called transition metals with the atomic number 74. The shiny gray metal is in a solid state at room temperature.

Tungsten is characterized by special physical and chemical properties:
• Heat resistance: After carbon, tungsten has the highest melting point of all elements at 3422°C. It has a boiling point of around 5,700°C. With these properties, the metal can withstand high temperatures and smelting and in addition, has a very low coefficient of thermal expansion
• Density: 19.3 g/cm³; the density of tungsten is almost as high as that of gold in its pure state.
We prepare our tungsten to perform perfectly in its specific applications. We can determine the following properties through the addition of various alloys
• Machinability (such as cutting processes, formability, weldability)
• Microstructure and recrystallization behavior (recrystallization temperature, embrittlement, aging effects)
• Resistance: Tungsten also has high resistance to acids. Even hydrofluoric acid and aqua regia are hardly able to attack tungsten at room temperature
• Physical properties (such as melting point, vapor pressure, density, electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, thermal expansion, heat capacity, and electron work function)
• Mechanical properties (such as strength, fracture behavior, creep resistance, and ductility)
• Chemical properties (corrosion resistance)

Is tantalum more strong than tungsten?

Tantalum is highly resistant to scratches and breakage and is extremely durable. Tantalum is therefore resistant to corrosion, and only if exposed to hydrofluoric acid it can corrode.

Unlike metals, such as tungsten, it is also shatterproof. This makes it great for individuals who lead active lives with busy hands.

Choose the Right Tantalum Foil for your Application

Choose the Right Tantalum Foil for your Application

If you need a metal foil that can withstand high temperatures and has extremely strong chemical resistance to most corrosive environments then tantalum foil is already on your short list of materials.

ta metal foil

Tantalum belongs to a class of metals known as refractory metals, which are defined by their strong resistance to heat and wear. It has a melting point of 5,463 °F (2,996 °C), the fourth highest of all metals.

Like most metals, tantalum forms a thin but dense protective oxide layer (Ta2O5) when exposed to the atmosphere. This oxide layer firmly adheres to the surface of the metal, acting as a barrier that protects the underlying metal from further corrosion.

tantalum foil

Below are some examples of common applications for tantalum foils.

Included with each application are some suggestions based on how others in that industry specify the tantalum foils for such uses.  If your application is not on the list, we suggest contacting Stanford Advanced Materials’ technical sales at sales@samaterials.com.

 

Tantalum foils for Machined fasteners 

Tantalum fasteners are made of alternative materials prone to failure or that require expensive equipment shutdowns for maintenance. Tantalum foils appear in industries such as mining, energy, and pharmaceuticals as well as in metal and chemical processing.  For customers who prefer to make their own fasteners unannealed tantalum rod is most commonly requested.  Annealed tantalum foils are sometimes difficult to machine because the metal has a tendency to gum.  Unannealed tantalum foils make machining and threading easier.  As a service to our customers, Stanford Advanced Materials also offers machined fasteners to your custom sizes.

Tantalum foils for Vacuum furnace heating elements 

Because of tantalum’s oxidation resistance and high melting point, many vacuum furnace components incorporate tantalum foils. Grain-stabilized tantalum rod is designed to survive longer in high-temperature environments by reducing grain growth.  Stanford Advanced Materials can grain stabilize tantalum foils by producing the product using a powder metallurgy process which creates a very uniform and fine grain size or as an alternative the rods can be produced with very small amounts of additives such a Yttrium.  Either method prolongs or prevents the tantalum grains from growing and therefore increases machine life expectancy due to its ability to withstand high temperatures for long periods of time.

Tantalum foils for Machined parts for chemical processing equipment 

Tantalum foils have corrosion-resistant properties which make it a choice material for machined parts used in chemical processing equipment. Tantalum machined parts replace inferior materials that do not perform as well in harsh chemical environments and require extensive maintenance.  In most cases customer request tantalum 2.5% tungsten foil which has slightly more strength and corrosion resistance.  When ordering tantalum rods for such applications we suggest you order ASTM B365 R05200 for pure tantalum rods or ASTM B365 R05252 for tantalum 2.5% tungsten foils.

Tantalum foils for X-ray/radiation shielding

Due to its high density, tantalum’s radio-opaque qualities make it ideal for X-ray and shielding applications seeking to prevent radiation leakage. Tantalum foils are often manufactured into shielding which protects sensitive electronic components in aerospace structures as well as components operating in corrosive environments.  There is great variability in the tantalum foils used in applications such as this.  Because the shielding is due to tantalum’s density, which is intrinsic, just about any grade of tantalum foil will be functional.

Tantalum foils for Sputtering Targets for Gun Barrels

Tantalum foils are sometimes used as a sputtering target to coat the inside of gun barrels with tantalum as a replacement for chromium.  This makes the gun barrel manufacturing process more environmentally friendly and lets manufacturers reduce their ecological impact.  When purchasing tantalum for such an application most customers prefer tantalum foils that are fully annealed, melted in an electron beam furnace (ASTM B365 R05200), and have a 99.95% minimum purity.  Some customers have specified tantalum 2.5% tungsten or tantalum 10% tungsten foils.

 

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