tungsten powder density is an important consideration for many applications. High tungsten powder density allows for more compacting of the material in manufacturing processes, which leads to higher levels of densification in finished products. This increased density is also useful for weighting and radiation shielding applications.
Tungsten (W) is an extremely rare metal, found in nature almost exclusively as compounds with other elements. The primary ores are scheelite and wolframite. Due to tungsten’s very high melting point, it is not feasible to cast tungsten ingots; instead, tungsten is processed into its component parts through a process known as powder metallurgy. This involves pressing and sintering the tungsten powder into parts, which are then machined to final shapes. The quality of tungsten powder is crucial for the success of these manufacturing processes because it influences the properties of the resulting tungsten parts.
The tungsten powder density is determined by the production process and the type of tungsten used in the part. The most common tungsten powders are fine or coarse, and have apparent densities between 20-120 g/in3. Fine tungsten is ideal for injection molding or infiltration into polymers to form heavy metal fillers. Coarse tungsten powder can be used as heavy metal additives in the defens and pyrotechnic industries, or for focussing mass in sporting goods and other equipment.
American Elements offers a variety of tungsten products, including pure tungsten powder, rod, ingot, pieces, disc, granules, wire and pressed into various shapes. Our tungsten products are produced to standard grades when applicable, such as Mil Spec; ACS, Reagent and Technical Grade; Food, Agricultural and Pharmaceutical Grade; and Optical Grade. American Elements can also produce tungsten to customer-specific requirements, including specific particle size, shape and size distribution.