Tungsten Metal
Strong Choice: Pure Tungsten Metal or Heavy Metal Tungsten Alloy
Pure tungsten metal and heavy metal tungsten alloy start with the same foundation, but they are very different with very different applications. Pure tungsten metal features the highest melting point and tensile strength of all metals, while heavy metal tungsten alloy has a high density comparable only to gold and platinum.
Pure Tungsten Metal
Pure tungsten metal has the highest melting point of all metals and, at temperatures greater than 1650°C, the highest tensile strength. Its thermal expansion rate is like that of borosilicate glass and silicon.
Tungsten’s good thermal and electrical conductivity make it an excellent choice for microprocessor applications. It is also used in electron emitters, heater coils, cathode ray tubes, electrical contacts, and a variety of high-heat applications such as vacuum furnaces and fusion reactor chambers.
Pure tungsten metal (99.95%) is available in all product formats including foil, coil, sheet, and plate. The exotic material can be machined, formed, and ground with care due to the relatively brittle nature prone to edge chipping and abrasive properties of the material on tooling. All pure tungsten products start with pressed and sintered powder, which is then processed further using conventional mill techniques to final format.
What you need to know about buying Pure Tungsten foil, coil, sheet, and plate
- Tungsten metal foil (less than 0.005”), sheet (from 0.005” to 0.187”), and plate are produced to ASTM B760, latest revision.
- Material can be provided in the hot or cold-rolled condition with stress-relieved condition as an option. Most foil and sheets are provided in the cold-rolled, stress-relieved condition.
- Thickness and flatness tolerances are per ASTM B760. Tolerances for foil are to be agreed upon as these are not specified in ASTM B760.
- Machined and fabricated parts made from pure tungsten metal can be provided with supplied drawings.
Heavy Metal Tungsten Alloy
Heavy metal alloys are pseudo-alloys of tungsten with a nickel-iron or nickel-copper matrix. The matrix is determined by the final specification properties. They are produced by powder metal pressing and sintering processes. Heavy tungsten alloys have a high density of 17-19 g/cm³. Comparable densities are only reached by gold or platinum.
These tungsten alloys are used as mass balancing weights and attenuators in aircraft construction, in motors and power trains, as oscillating weights and centrifugal weights in machines and equipment construction, and in medical technology for both protection from and focusing of ionizing radiation in x-ray cancer therapy machines and gamma radiation measuring devices.
Typically, there is no further processing after sintering before machining unless special mechanical properties are required. Depending on required dimensional tolerances, blanks/rods are produced slightly oversized to ensure cleanup after machining. Bars/rods are usually provided with a “ROTF” (roughly oversize to finish) dimension – about 0.060” extra stock or can be provided with a ground surface to -0/+.005” tolerance.
What you need to know about buying Heavy Metal Tungsten Alloy material:
- Heavy metal tungsten alloy materials are produced per ASTM B777 or AMS 7725.
- This material is supplied in four different classes depending on the required density. Although a “Nominal” tungsten content is mentioned, there are no actual chemical composition requirements in these specifications. For special applications where non-magnetic properties are needed, the customer should specify that the material needs to be free from magnetic response and order a “non-magnetic” version (not available in class 4). The “non-magnetic” versions are blended to be free of Iron. If a specific chemistry is required, then this must be agreed upon prior to fabrication.
Class Nominal Tungsten
Weight %Density
(g/cc)1 90 16.85-17.30 2 92.5 17.15-17.85 3 95 17.75-18.35 4 97 18.25-18.85 - If no class is specified, class 1 material is typically produced.
- We can provide materials meeting all DFARS (Defense Federal Acquisition Regulation Supplement) requirements for domestic tungsten alloy production when required.
- Leading Edge can provide machined and fabricated finished parts with supplied drawings.
Product Selection and Purchasing Options
Beyond tungsten metal and heavy metal tungsten alloy, Leading Edge offers a wide range of products in multiple shapes and sizes, even in small quantities. Many are available for immediate shipment from our warehouse. If we don’t have the specialty material you need, there’s a good chance we can find it. With our flexible purchasing options, you can ensure materials are available when they’re needed. Purchasing options include blanket orders, just-in-time delivery, and consignment materials.
Industry Standards and Requirements
Industries constantly evolve, driven by a growing demand for scientific and technological advancement. Successful experimentation must ensure material integrity, safety, performance, and compliance with strict environmental and operational regulations.
These standards typically focus on aspects like purity, quality, and durability to guarantee that refractory metals meet the demanding conditions of high-stakes research applications. Because they serve multiple industries and extreme environments, this list includes more than average standards and requirements.
Standards and Requirements:
- ASTM International (American Society of Mechanical Engineers): Standards for materials used in energy applications.
- SAE Aerospace Material Specifications (AMS, formerly known as the Society of Automotive Engineers or SAE)
- ASME BPVC (Boiler and Pressure Vessel Code): Guidelines for materials used in pressure vessels and reactors.
- Department of Defense (DoD) Military Standards or Military Specifications (MIL) on the Defense Logistics Agency (DLA) ASSIST Database
We adhere to quality compliance certification standards and statutory regulations that pertain to our exotic materials, processes, custom machining services, traceability, and other aspects of our in-house expertise. Our materials specialists provide expert counsel on metal selection and inspection to ensure you receive materials that meet or exceed your expectations.
Leading Edge Metals & Alloys Certifications include:
- ISO9001:2015 and AS9100D Registered
- ITAR Registered
- NIST SP 800-171 and CMMC Complian
Our deep understanding of this industry stems from our extensive experience, skilled metallurgy professionals, and a history of successful partnerships with leading national research labs.
Frequently Asked Questions
Some heavy-metal tungsten alloys can be supplied in non-magnetic versions, but availability depends on the density class and alloy chemistry. Magnetic requirements must be specified during the quotation phase to ensure proper material selection.
Yes. Leading Edge Metals & Alloys supplies machined and fabricated components made from both pure Tungsten and heavy-metal tungsten alloys. Parts can be produced from customer drawings, with material supplied oversized, ground, or near-net, depending on tolerance and finish requirements.
Heavy-metal Tungsten alloys should be selected when mass, density, or radiation attenuation is the primary requirement, rather than extreme-temperature performance, and when extensive machining is required. These alloys are ideal for counterweights, shielding, and vibration damping, but are not intended for ultra-high-temperature service like pure Tungsten metal.
Heavy-metal tungsten alloys are typically produced to ASTM B777 or AMS 7725 and are classified by density into four standard classes. If no class is specified, Class 1 material (17 gm/cc density with approx 90% Tungsten content) is commonly supplied. Non-magnetic grades must be specified in advance and are not available in all density classes.
Pure Tungsten foil, sheet, and plate are commonly produced to ASTM B760, which defines chemical composition and dimensional requirements. Thickness tolerances for foil are often agreed upon between buyer and supplier, as they are not fully defined in the specification.
When ordering Tungsten, customers should specify whether pure Tungsten metal or heavy-metal Tungsten alloy is required, along with the product form, applicable ASTM or AMS specification, density class (for alloys), dimensional tolerances, magnetic or non-magnetic requirements, and whether finished or near-net shapes are needed. Providing this information upfront allows Leading Edge Metals & Alloys (LEMA) to ensure proper material selection, compliance, and efficient fulfillment.
Pure Tungsten is brittle and abrasive, requiring specialized machining practices to prevent cracking, edge chipping, and excessive tool wear. Rigid setups, conservative feeds, and proper tooling are essential. Heavy-metal tungsten alloys are significantly more machinable due to their ductility, but cleanup stock, tooling wear, and dimensional allowances should still be considered in part design.
Leading Edge Metals & Alloys supplies pure Tungsten in foil, sheet, plate, rod, and bar formats, as well as heavy metal Tungsten alloy in bar, plate, and near-net shapes. Materials can be provided as raw stock, cut-to-size blanks, or machined components depending on application requirements.
Pure Tungsten is commonly used in vacuum furnaces, fusion research, plasma-facing components, electronic and semiconductor equipment, and high-temperature shielding.
Heavy-metal tungsten alloys are widely used for radiation shielding, counterweights, vibration damping, mass balancing, and attenuation in aerospace, medical imaging, and industrial systems.
Pure Tungsten metal is selected primarily for its high-temperature performance and thermal stability, but it is very brittle and hard to machine. Heavy metal Tungsten alloys, by contrast, are engineered for density rather than temperature resistance and consist of Tungsten combined with a Nickel-iron or Nickel-copper matrix, containing 90-97.5% tungsten, and are very machineable. While both are Tungsten-based, they serve very different mechanical and functional purposes.
Tungsten is known for its extremely high melting point (over 3,400°C / 6,100°F), high density, excellent thermal stability, and strong resistance to erosion and radiation damage. Depending on form, Tungsten also offers controlled thermal expansion and long-term dimensional stability in vacuum or high-temperature environments.
Tungsten is used instead of conventional metals when applications require extreme temperature resistance, high density, or dimensional stability that steels, aluminum, or stainless alloys cannot provide. With the highest melting point of any metal and exceptional strength at elevated temperatures, Tungsten performs reliably where conventional materials soften, creep, or fail.
