Tungsten-nickel alloy is an alloy with tungsten as the main raw material and nickel as the auxiliary raw material. Normally, the nickel content is less than 10% or 10% to 25%, and the balance is tungsten. It is often used as the main raw material for gamma-ray shielding materials due to its high melting point, high density, high hardness and good corrosion resistance.
Compared with radiation protection materials made of lead alloys, tungsten alloy shielding materials have better radiation blocking performance, will not produce secondary radiation, and are more friendly to the natural environment, so they are more suitable for future use and will help the country to take the path of sustainable development.
Some researchers used mold-free laser rapid forming to prepare Tungsten alloy, tested the density of the alloy, and selected a Cs source with a gamma photon energy of 0.551Mev to test its shielding performance and hardness. The results show that the density of the alloy is 17.25g/cm3, and the thickness of the alloy required to absorb the same amount of gamma rays is 63.4% of that of lead. In addition, the hardness of the alloy prepared by this technology is 54.2HRC, which is 64% higher than that of pure tungsten. At the same time, the microstructure of the alloy is observed and it is found that tungsten and nickel have formed a solid solution.
Tungsten is a refractory metal with a high melting point. Its advantages are good high-temperature strength and excellent corrosion resistance to molten alkali metals and vapors. Tungsten oxides will only volatilize and liquid oxides will appear above 1000℃. However, it also has the disadvantages of high plastic-brittle transition temperature and difficulty in plastic processing at room temperature. Refractory metals represented by tungsten have been widely used in metallurgy, chemical industry, electronics, light sources, machinery industry and other sectors.
Nickel is a hard, ductile and ferromagnetic metal with good corrosion resistance. It is silvery white in color, can be highly polished and corrosion-resistant, and is green after being dissolved in nitric acid. It is mainly used in alloys and as a catalyst. It can be used to make currency, etc. It can be plated on other metals to prevent rust, such as making stainless steel and other corrosion-resistant alloys. It can also be used as a hydrogenation catalyst and in ceramic products, special chemical equipment, electronic circuits, glass greening, and the preparation of nickel compounds.