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Raw materials And Preparation Products

Hazard Information

Questions And Answer

• Physical properties

  Tungsten carbide is a dense, metal-like substance, light gray with a bluish tinge, that decomposes, rather than melts, at 2,600º C (4,700º F). Tungsten carbide has very high strength for a material so hard and rigid. Compressive strength is higher than virtually all melted and cast or forged metals and alloys; and is two to three times as rigid as steel and four to six times as rigid as cast iron and brass. High resistance to deformation and deflection is very valuable in those many applications where a combination of minimum deflection and good ultimate strength merits first consideration. For such a hard material with very high rigidity the impact resistance is high because it is in the range of hardened tool steels of lower hardness and compressive strength. It also performs well up to about 1000°F in oxidizing atmospheres and to 1500°F in non-oxidizing atmospheres; it undergoes no phase changes during heating and cooling, retains its stability indefinitely; and retains toughness and impact strength in the cryogenic temperature ranges. (-453°F.)
  
  Tungsten carbide has exceptional resistance to galling and welding at the surface, and has sufficient resistance to corrosion-wear conditions for many applications. Tungsten carbide wears up to 100 times longer than steel in conditions including abrasion, erosion and galling. Wear resistance of tungsten carbide is better than that of wear-resistance tool steels. ;

• Uses

  Industry

  Application

  Role/benefit

  Mining

  Making mining tips, drill bits, and other cutting and mining tools

  Raw material/extreme hardness and resistance to wear and tear

  Cutting and milling

  Manufacture of mill products and cutting tools for machining

  Raw material/extreme hardness, resistance to high temperature and good formability

  Jewelry

  Crafting rings, pendants, earrings and other jewelry

  Raw material/extreme hardness and high resistance to scratching

  Medicine

  Manufacture of surgical instruments

  Raw material/extreme hardness and high resistance to pitting and rusting

  Ammunition

  Armor-piercing ammunition

  Raw material/combination of great hardness and very high density

  Nuclear

  Neutron reflector

  Reflector material

  Sports

  Tips of ski pole

  Raw material/increase resistance to wear and service life

  Drive tracks of snowmobiles and motorcycle and bicycle tires

  Farriery and shoes sole

  Catalyst

  Production of water from hydrogen and oxygen at room temperature

  Replacement of platinum

  Reduction of tungsten trioxide by hydrogen in the presence of water

  Isomerization of 2,2-dimethylpropane to 2-methylbutane

  Hydrazine-powered satellite thrusters

  Replacement of iridium

  Others

  Rotating ball in the tips of ballpoint pens

  Extreme hardness and resistance to wear

  Manufacture of gauge blocks

  Common material

  Guitar slide

  Superior sustain and volume than other material slides

  Catalytic and fuel cells

  Electrode material

  Light bulb filaments

  Essential component/high temperature resistance and considerable period of using time

  SEM probe and field emission electric device

  High resolution and good oxidation resistance
   
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• Preparation

  Tungsten carbide is prepared by heating powdered tungsten with carbon black in the presence of hydrogen at 1,400º1,600º C (2,550º-2,900º F). For fabrication, a process developed in the 1920s is employed: the powdered tungsten carbide is mixed with another powdered metal, usually cobalt, and pressed into the desired shape, then heated to temperatures of 1,400º-1,600º C; the other metal, which melts, wets and partially dissolves the grains of tungsten carbide, thus acting as a binder or cement. The cemented composites of tungsten carbide-cobalt are known by many different trade names, including Widia and Carboloy.;

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