Niobium tubes are tubular profiles made of pure niobium or niobium alloys (such as tantalum-niobium alloys, niobium-titanium alloys, etc.). Relying on the core properties of niobium itself, such as high melting point, excellent low-temperature superconductivity, good corrosion resistance and biocompatibility, they play an irreplaceable role in high-end fields such as aerospace, electronics, medical care and chemical engineering.
The melting point of niobium is as high as 2468°C, and it still maintains good mechanical properties at high temperatures. At the same time, it has excellent radiation resistance stability against nuclear radiation. Therefore, niobium tubes (mostly pure niobium or high-strength niobium alloy tubes) are key structural/functional components in extremely high-temperature and irradiation environments. Thermal control system conduits used in satellites and space stations can transfer the high-temperature heat inside the spacecraft to the heat dissipation components, while resisting the extreme temperature differences (-270°C to 1000°C) and high-energy particle erosion in space, ensuring the stable operation of the thermal control system.
Pure niobium and niobium alloys (such as niobium-titanium alloy and niobium-tin alloy) are typical low-temperature superconducting materials (the superconducting critical temperature of pure niobium is approximately 9.25K, that is, -263.9 °C), and niobium has a low resistivity (about 15.2μΩ · cm at room temperature) and a stable temperature coefficient of resistance. Therefore, niobium tubes are mainly used in the electronics field for superconducting devices and high-precision conductive components.
High-precision electronic components: Ion implantation target material support tubes and high-temperature thermocouple protection tubes used in semiconductor manufacturing. For instance, in the chip ion implantation process, niobium tubes can stably support the target material and are resistant to high-frequency ion bombardment. In high-temperature measurement scenarios (such as below 1500°C), niobium tubes are used as protective sleeves for thermocouples to prevent the measuring elements from being corroded by high-temperature gases while ensuring the accuracy of signal transmission.
