Rhenium Alloys

Product Overview

Our customizable Tungsten-Rhenium (W-Re) alloy plates are engineered for mission-critical applications that demand exceptional performance at extreme temperatures. By strategically alloying tungsten with rhenium, we produce a material that combines the incredible high-temperature strength and high density of tungsten with the enhanced ductility and fabricability imparted by rhenium. This makes our W-Re plates a superior choice over pure tungsten or molybdenum for structural components, heat shields, and furnace hardware that must resist thermal shock and mechanical stress without failure. As a premier supplier of advanced Rhenium Alloys, we provide plates that are manufactured to your exact specifications, ensuring optimal performance in the most challenging environments.

The ""rhenium effect"" is central to the performance of our plates, significantly lowering the ductile-to-brittle transition temperature and improving toughness. This means our plates are more resistant to cracking during fabrication and thermal cycling, a critical advantage in aerospace and semiconductor applications. We control every step of the production process, from powder blending to final rolling and finishing, to deliver plates with a uniform grain structure, consistent thickness, and superior surface quality. We can tailor the Rhenium Alloys Composition to meet specific performance targets, balancing properties like strength, ductility, and the final Tungsten Rhenium Alloy Density.

Technical Specifications

Our W-Re plates are produced to the highest industry standards, with full customization available to meet your engineering needs.

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Product Features

• Exceptional High-Temperature Strength: Maintains structural integrity and load-bearing capacity at temperatures exceeding 2000°C.
• Enhanced Ductility and Formability: Far less brittle than pure tungsten, allowing for easier forming, bending, and fabrication of complex parts.
• High Recrystallization Temperature: Resists grain growth and embrittlement after prolonged exposure to high temperatures, ensuring long-term reliability.
• Excellent Thermal Shock Resistance: Can withstand rapid heating and cooling cycles without cracking, which is critical for furnace and aerospace applications.
• Fully Customizable: Plates are made to order, allowing you to specify the exact alloy, dimensions, and finish for your application.

How to Use

To maximize the performance and lifespan of W-Re plates, specific handling and fabrication procedures are recommended.

1. Protective Atmosphere: For use at temperatures above 400°C, W-Re plates must be operated in a vacuum or a high-purity inert (Ar, He) or reducing (H2) atmosphere to prevent oxidation.
2. Forming and Bending: While more ductile than tungsten, forming may require heating the plate to reduce stress and prevent cracking, especially for thicker sections or tight bend radii.
3. Joining: Welding should be performed using techniques like Electron Beam Welding (EBW) or TIG welding in a controlled inert atmosphere to ensure a clean, strong joint.
4. Machining: Can be machined using carbide tooling, but EDM (Electrical Discharge Machining) is often preferred for creating intricate features or achieving very tight tolerances.

Application Scenarios

Our W-Re plates are essential components in a variety of high-technology industries.

• Aerospace and Defense: Used as heat shields, structural supports, and components for rocket nozzles and hypersonic vehicles where extreme heat resistance is required.
• High-Temperature Furnaces: Fabricated into heating elements, charge carriers, boats, and structural components for vacuum and inert atmosphere furnaces operating at very high temperatures.
• Semiconductor Manufacturing: Used to create components for MOCVD and other deposition equipment that require high purity and excellent thermal stability.
• Medical Technology: Machined into sputtering targets for depositing biocompatible coatings or used as collimators and anti-scatter grids in high-power X-ray imaging systems.

Benefits for Customers

• Increased Equipment Lifespan: The superior durability and resistance to thermal cycling of our W-Re plates result in longer-lasting components and reduced maintenance costs.
• Enables Higher Operating Temperatures: Allows for the design of furnaces and systems that can operate at higher temperatures, improving process efficiency and throughput.
• Reduced Risk of Brittle Failure: The enhanced ductility significantly reduces the risk of catastrophic component failure compared to pure tungsten, improving safety and reliability.
• Tailored Material Solution: Our customization capabilities ensure you receive a material that is perfectly optimized for your specific application, eliminating compromises.

Certifications and Compliance

Our manufacturing processes are certified to ISO 9001:2015 standards. Every plate is shipped with a full Certificate of Analysis that details the exact chemical composition, mechanical properties, and dimensional measurements, ensuring full traceability and compliance with your quality requirements.

Customization Options

We specialize in providing W-Re plates tailored to your unique needs.

• Custom Alloy Composition: We can produce plates with a specific Rhenium Alloys Composition to fine-tune properties like strength, ductility, or electrical resistivity.
• Precision Dimensions: We can supply plates cut to precise lengths and widths with tight thickness tolerances.
• Surface Finishing: We offer various surface finishes, from as-rolled to a highly polished, low-Ra surface for sensitive applications.
• Complex Shapes: We can provide near-net shapes or fully machined components based on your drawings.

Production Process and Quality Control

Our production process is meticulously controlled to ensure the highest quality plates.

1. Powder Metallurgy: We start with high-purity tungsten and rhenium powders, which are precisely blended, pressed, and sintered to form a fully dense ingot.
2. Thermo-Mechanical Processing: The ingot is hot-rolled and, if required, cold-rolled in multiple passes with intermediate annealing steps to achieve the desired thickness and microstructure.
3. Finishing and Annealing: The plates are stress-relieved or fully annealed in a controlled atmosphere to achieve the specified mechanical properties.
4. 100% Inspection: Every plate is inspected for dimensional accuracy, surface quality, and internal integrity using ultrasonic testing to ensure it is free of defects.

Customer Testimonials and Reviews

""The custom W-Re25% plates we ordered for our new vacuum furnace heat shields have been flawless. Their ability to withstand our rapid thermal cycles has significantly improved our process reliability.""

""We switched from pure molybdenum to a W-Re5% plate for our semiconductor wafer carriers. The material's improved toughness has drastically reduced breakage during handling, saving us significant costs.""

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

1. Why should I choose a Tungsten-Rhenium plate over a pure Tungsten plate?

The primary advantage is ductility. Pure tungsten becomes very brittle after being heated to its recrystallization temperature. The addition of rhenium keeps the alloy much more ductile and resistant to fracture after thermal cycling, making it a far more reliable choice for structural parts.

2. What is the main difference between W-Re5% and W-Re25% plates?

W-Re5% offers a good balance of improved ductility over pure tungsten while maintaining very high strength. W-Re25% offers maximum ductility and formability, though with slightly lower strength at the highest temperatures compared to the low-rhenium grades. The choice depends on whether strength or fabricability is the primary concern.

3. Are these plates suitable for use in an air atmosphere at high temperatures?

No. Like pure tungsten and molybdenum, W-Re alloys will oxidize rapidly in air at temperatures above approximately 400-500°C. They are designed for use in vacuum, high-purity inert gas (like argon), or dry hydrogen atmospheres.