Tungsten-copper alloys combine the advantages of both metallic tungsten and copper. Tungsten has a high melting point (3410°C, copper 1080°C) and a high density (19.34 g/cm³, copper 8.89 g/cm³). Copper offers excellent electrical and thermal conductivity. Tungsten-copper alloys (generally ranging in composition from WCu7 to WCu50) have a uniform microstructure, high temperature resistance, high strength, arc erosion resistance, and high density. They also offer moderate electrical and thermal conductivity. They are widely used in military high-temperature resistant materials, electrical alloys for high-voltage switches, electrodes for electrical machining, and microelectronics. As components and parts, they are widely used in aerospace, aviation, electronics, power generation, metallurgy, machinery, and sports equipment industries.
1. Military High-Temperature-Resistant Materials
Tungsten-copper alloys are used in aerospace applications for missile and rocket engine nozzles, gas rudders, air rudders, and nose cones. Key requirements include high-temperature resistance (3000K-5000K) and resistance to high-temperature airflow. This utilizes the evaporation cooling effect of copper (melting point 1083°C) at high temperatures to reduce the surface temperature of the tungsten-copper alloy, ensuring its use under extreme high-temperature conditions.
2. Electrical Alloys for High-Voltage Switches
Tungsten-copper alloys are widely used in high-voltage switchgear (128kV SF6 circuit breakers, WCu/CuCr), high-voltage vacuum load switches (12kV, 40.5kV, 1000A), and lightning arresters. High-voltage vacuum switchgear are compact, easy to maintain, and widely applicable, suitable for use in humid, flammable, explosive, and corrosive environments. Key performance requirements include resistance to arc erosion, resistance to welding, low cutoff current, low gas content, and low thermal electron emission. In addition to conventional macroscopic performance requirements, requirements also include porosity and microstructural properties. Therefore, special processes are required, including complex processes such as vacuum degassing and vacuum infiltration.
III. Electrodes for Electrical Discharge Machining (EDM)
Earlier, copper or graphite electrodes were used for EDM (Electrodischarge Machining) electrodes. These were inexpensive but lacked ablation resistance, and have largely been replaced by tungsten-copper electrodes. Tungsten-copper electrodes offer advantages such as high-temperature resistance, high-temperature strength, arc erosion resistance, excellent electrical and thermal conductivity, and rapid heat dissipation. Applications are concentrated in EDM electrodes, resistance welding electrodes, and high-voltage discharge tube electrodes.
Electrodischarge Machining (EDM) electrodes are characterized by a wide variety of varieties and specifications, small batch sizes, and high total volume. Tungsten-copper materials used in EDM electrodes should possess the highest possible density and uniform microstructure, especially for slender rods, tubes, and special-shaped electrodes.
IV. Microelectronic Materials
Tungsten-copper electronic packaging and heat sink materials combine the low thermal expansion properties of tungsten with the high thermal conductivity of copper. Its thermal expansion coefficient and thermal and electrical conductivity can be modified by adjusting the composition of the tungsten-copper material, thus expanding its application range. Because tungsten copper (TC) possesses high heat resistance and excellent thermal and electrical conductivity, along with a thermal expansion coefficient that matches that of silicon wafers, gallium arsenide (GaAs), and ceramics, it is widely used in semiconductor materials. It is suitable for high-power device packaging, heat sinks, heat dissipation components, ceramics, and GaAs bases.
Tungsten copper composite material is a two-phase pseudoalloy composed primarily of tungsten and copper. It is a metal-matrix composite material. Due to the significant difference in physical properties between metallic copper and tungsten, it cannot be produced by melt casting and is generally produced using powder alloying technology.
Tungsten copper alloy has a wide range of applications, primarily in aerospace, aviation, electronics, power generation, metallurgy, machinery, and sports equipment. It is also used to manufacture arc-erosion-resistant contacts for high-voltage electrical switches and high-temperature components such as rocket nozzle linings and tail fins. It is also used as electrodes for electromechanical machining, high-temperature molds, and other applications requiring electrical and thermal conductivity and high-temperature operation. Tungsten copper alloy combines the advantages of copper and tungsten: high strength, high specific gravity, high-temperature resistance, arc-erosion resistance, excellent electrical and thermal conductivity, and good processability. Using high-quality tungsten powder and oxygen-free copper powder, this alloy is isostatically pressed (high-temperature sintering followed by copper infiltration) to ensure product purity and precise proportions, resulting in a fine structure and excellent performance. It offers excellent arc interruption performance, excellent electrical and thermal conductivity, and low thermal expansion. Because tungsten and copper are immiscible, tungsten-copper alloys combine the low expansion, wear resistance, and corrosion resistance of tungsten with the high electrical and thermal conductivity of copper, making them suitable for various machining processes. Tungsten-copper alloys can be produced and sized to meet customer requirements. Tungsten-copper alloys are generally produced using a powder metallurgy process: powder preparation, mixing, pressing, sintering, and infiltration.
Welding Electrodes
Tungsten-copper alloys offer high temperature resistance, arc erosion resistance, high specific gravity, high electrical and thermal conductivity, and ease of machining, making them suitable for use in welding electrodes.
Tungsten-Copper Alloy Rod
Tungsten-copper is a composite material crafted through a process of static pressing, high-temperature sintering, and copper infiltration, utilizing the excellent metallic properties of high-purity tungsten powder and the plasticity and high conductivity of high-purity copper powder. It features excellent arc-breaking performance, excellent electrical and thermal conductivity, low thermal expansion, no softening at high temperatures, and high strength, density, and hardness.
Tungsten-Copper Electronic Packaging Sheet
Tungsten-copper electronic packaging material combines the low thermal expansion properties of tungsten with the high thermal conductivity of copper. Its thermal expansion coefficient and electrical and thermal conductivity can be adjusted by adjusting the material composition, facilitating its use.
Tungsten-Copper Tube
Tungsten-copper alloy tubes are widely used in cemented carbides and refractory metals. Because tungsten-copper alloys are easily machined, they are particularly useful when a readily machinable surface and a small inner diameter are required.
Tungsten-Copper Alloy Wire
Usage Precautions:
1. Colloidal graphite should not be placed on the surface of tungsten-copper wire. When temperatures exceed 1000°C, avoid placing tungsten-copper wire together with iron, nickel, or carbon. Tungsten copper wire must be stored dry, with relative humidity below 65% relative to room temperature. Avoid contact with acidic or alkaline materials.
2. After cleaning the tungsten copper wire, store it in a dry container and avoid direct contact with air to prevent oxidation.
FOTMA ALLOY is a high-tech enterprise specializing in the production, manufacturing, and development of specialty alloy materials. Founded in 2004, the company currently has over 100 employees, including over 10 senior technicians and three senior engineers. The company specializes in the production of specialty materials such as wrought superalloys, cast superalloys, corrosion-resistant alloys, precision alloys, heat-resistant steels, nickel-based alloys, cobalt-based alloys, and special stainless steels. With an annual production capacity of 5,000 tons, the company produces products in the form of sheets, wires, bars, and strips. These products are widely used in the petrochemical, aerospace, shipbuilding, energy, military, electronics, environmental protection, machinery, and instrumentation industries. Their performance attributes include high electrical resistance, high-temperature resistance, corrosion resistance, wear resistance, and fatigue resistance. Products are manufactured in accordance with national, industry, and international standards, and can also be tailored to specific customer needs. The company is ISO9001 certified. Its advanced equipment includes a 1T vacuum induction furnace, a 2T/1T medium-frequency induction melting furnace, a 1T/500kg electroslag remelting furnace, 20 30kg electroslag remelting furnaces, two forging hammers, a complete cold-rolled steel strip production line, a variable-frequency speed wire drawing unit, and a variable-frequency speed take-up hydrogen annealing line. The company also boasts a physical and chemical laboratory equipped with spectrometers, metallographic instruments, flaw detectors, and tensile testing machines.
In recent years, the company has continuously developed new products, explored new technologies, and processes, and collaborated with numerous domestic research institutes on R&D, achieving fruitful results. The company has provided specialty steel materials and accessories for numerous key projects, and its export orders have steadily increased year by year. Over the years, the company has received numerous provincial and municipal certificates of honor for quality and reputation. Strictly adhering to national standards and closely aligned with international advanced standards, FOTMA ALLOY strives to satisfy customers with product quality and superior service. FOTMA ALLOY strives to work closely with all customers for mutual development.
Post time: Sep-30-2025