Tantalum, its alloys and applications

Tantalum's tolerance for interstitial elements and reasonable modulus of elasticity make it extremely attractive as a base element for alloys. Tantalum is also easy to realize inert gas tungsten arc welding (GTA), so it is suitable for the manufacture of a variety of chemical equipment, play its corrosion resistance. Such as the manufacture of a variety of heat exchangers, snorkels, condenser tubes, cooling tubes and plug-in heaters, such as Cabot manufactured standard specifications for the 1.2 m × 3.7 m × 0.9 mm tantalum sheet has been made through the explosion connection process into steel, copper and aluminum lining, with this lining tantalum material to manufacture large-scale, relatively inexpensive chemical equipment. The so-called explosion connection is usually referred to as explosion molding, explosion welding. This is a use of explosives in a very short period of time to release the high energy for metal connection or processing methods, can be realized between the base material and cladding (cover) layer of a large area of welding or composite, is to play the base material cost is relatively low, cladding touch-resistant, high temperature resistance and other special features of the effective method. In addition, some high-temperature chemical reactions under vacuum, the melting of special glass is also often carried out in the tantalum crucible. Tantalum is also resistant to corrosion of certain liquid metals, for contact with liquid sodium at 1375 ℃.

Tantalum alloying or tantalum-based alloy preparation is usually carried out using an electron beam furnace, in order to obtain a uniform composition of the ingot in the electron beam furnace after melting and purification, but also vacuum arc remelting (VAR). All Tantalum and Tantalum alloys are processed in EB furnaces, with or without VAR remelting depending on the application.

Molybdenum alloys have the lowest delayed brittle transition temperature (-196°C), good low-temperature plasticity, low work-hardening coefficient, and excellent high-temperature strength, making them ideal structural materials for work at 1600-1800°C. The Ta-W alloys are now available in a wide range of materials, including tantalum and tantalum. In the present has formed Ta-W and Ta-Nb two alloy system of materials, mostly used in the manufacture of aviation aviation industry and space nuclear power system parts.