Tungsten Carbide

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GENERAL OVERVIEW

Tungsten Carbide is a metal/ceramic hybrid, combining the properties of metals and ceramics into a material suitable for the toughest applications.

Tungsten carbide is a chemical compound made by reacting tungsten metal with carbon. Pure tungsten metal has excellent corrosion resistance but is soft enough to be cut with a hacksaw. By introducing carbon, you greatly increase the hardness until it’s almost as hard as a diamond.

In practice, most tungsten carbide products are made by taking ultra-fine grains of pure tungsten carbide and cementing them together with a small amount of a second metal – generally cobalt. The result is ‘cemented’ tungsten carbide, a powerhouse material with extreme hardness, immense strength, and excellent corrosion resistance.

TECHNICAL INFORMATION

Tungsten Carbide
General Information
Max. Usage Temperature	800 °C / 1500 °F
Bulk Density	14.5 g/cm³
Open Porosity	< 0.5 %
Modulus of Rupture @ Room Temp.	3000 MPa
Modulus of Elasticity	600 GPa
Thermal Conductivity	100 W/mK
Thermal Expansion at 20 – 1000 °C	5.5 x10^-6/K
Electric Resistance	Good Electrical Conductor