A tungsten alloy is a combination of tungsten and other metals, such as iron, nickel, or copper, that creates a material with improved properties over pure tungsten. Tungsten is a naturally occurring metal with a high melting point and tensile strength, but it is also brittle. Alloying tungsten with other metals makes it stronger, more resistant to corrosion, and more versatile.
Tungsten alloys are used in a variety of industries, including:
- Aviation: Tungsten alloys are used in jet turbine blades and rocket engine nozzles.
- Medical technology: Tungsten alloys are used in x-ray cancer therapy machines and gamma radiation measuring devices.
- Military: Tungsten alloys are used in a variety of military applications.
- Homeland security: Tungsten alloys are used in large container inspection devices and airport security X-ray devices.
Some types of tungsten alloys include:
- Tungsten heavy alloys (WHAs)
These alloys are made with Ni-Fe or Ni-Cu matrices and can be customized for specific applications.
- Abkolloy family of titanium–tungsten alloys
These alloys are strong, ductile, and hard, and are being considered for use in aerospace, industrial, defense, and medical device markets.
- Tungsten-nickel-copper
This alloy is non-magnetic, making it useful in oncology systems and for shielding electrical sensors.