Tungsten is a unique element we’ve developed an appreciation for and we thought you would too, once you see these facts.
Tungsten comes from the Swedish words “tung” and “sten”, meaning “heavy stone.” It’s extracted primarily from wolframite and scheelite minerals.
Of all metals in pure form, tungsten has the highest melting point, lowest vapor pressure, and highest tensile strength.
Tungsten is used in many industries and products around the world, from high-speed cutting tools and jet turbine engines, to ammunition, lighting, and even fishing weights.
Tungsten wire diameter is measured in milligrams! Old technology lacked the tools to measure its diameter, and milligrams are still used today.
Most tungsten wire comes doped — whether you need it that way or not! The practice goes back to a time when the main purpose of tungsten wire was in filaments for light bulbs.
Don’t be confused though, tungsten and tungsten carbide are NOT interchangeable. Tungsten carbide does have a lot of tungsten in it, but the addition of cobalt gives it properties very different from pure tungsten.
In theory, you ca have liquid tungsten — but in practice its high melting point makes it very difficult to melt or contain.
With all of its unique and interesting properties, tungsten is one of the most widely used refractory metals.
Check out more information and applications for tungsten in our library.
