Tungsten a versatile material

Tungsten is a silver-white, metallically shiny or grey heavy metal (depending on whether it occurs in pieces or in powder form). Hard and brittle, tungsten can, however, be made ductile by hammering and drawn into thin wires, for example. Tungsten belongs to the group of refractory metals, which are characterized by high melting points, good thermal conductivity and low thermal expansion, among other things. High corrosion resistance is a further characteristic. Tungsten is suitable for the construction of resistance heating elements, the manufacture of filaments (especially in high-temperature furnace construction and electrical engineering), engine parts, X-ray anodes and welding electrodes. Pins made of tungsten can be fused into high melting point glass for the passage of current. Tungsten is also used in nuclear technology. Tungsten alloys are used about 80% in the steel industry and about 10% each in the hard metal and electrical industries.