Tantalum parts refer to industrial components made mainly of tantalum metal through processes such as mechanical processing, powder metallurgy, and 3D printing. Tantalum has excellent corrosion resistance. Its chemical stability is extremely high, second only to platinum and gold. Especially, it has extremely strong resistance to inorganic acids such as aqua regia, hydrochloric acid, nitric acid and sulfuric acid. This is the main reason for its application. Its high melting point of approximately 3017°C enables it to maintain its strength and shape at extremely high temperatures. It has good biocompatibility, does not irritate or sensitize human tissues, and can coexist with human tissues for a long time. Excellent thermal and electrical conductivity. High ductility pure tantalum can be cold-worked and plastically formed like copper.
Mechanical processing involves precise machining of raw materials such as bars, plates and tubes using traditional techniques like turning, milling, drilling and grinding. Because tantalum is relatively soft and has good toughness, it tends to stick to the tool during processing. Therefore, sharp tools and sufficient cooling are required. Powder metallurgy involves pressing tantalum powder into shape and then sintering it in an ultra-high temperature vacuum furnace. It is often used to manufacture porous materials (such as anode blocks for capacitors) or complex-shaped blanks. Additive manufacturing (3D printing) mainly involves electron beam melting (EBM) or laser selective melting technology. It is possible to manufacture extremely complex structures that cannot be achieved by traditional methods (such as highly optimized heat exchanger flow channels), but the cost is extremely high. Forging and rolling are used to produce basic profiles such as plates, foils, bars and tubes.
Tantalum capacitors, featuring long service life, high-temperature resistance, high accuracy and excellent performance in filtering high-frequency harmonics, are widely used in electronic circuits such as electronic computers, radars and missiles. The sealed casing of tantalum capacitors can be achieved through the reverse extrusion process of tantalum rods or the action of tantalum sheets and tantalum tubes. Including standard parts such as tantalum bolts, tantalum nuts and tantalum gaskets, they feature high strength and corrosion resistance, and are often used in the connection parts of equipment that need to withstand significant pressure or operate in harsh environments in fields such as chemical engineering and aerospace. Such as heat exchangers, evaporators, condensers, etc., taking advantage of tantalum's corrosion resistance, can be used for a long time in highly corrosive environments. Usually, larger components are made by coating a thin layer of tantalum on the metal surface to reduce costs. Such as the acetabular cup, ankle joint, intervertebral fusion device, etc., by taking advantage of the biocompatibility of tantalum, it can promote the growth of bone cells and shorten the postoperative recovery period. 3D printing technology is widely used in the manufacturing of tantalum parts for medical implants and can achieve personalized customization. Such as engine components, thermal protection system components of spacecraft, etc., can operate stably in high-temperature environments by taking advantage of tantalum's high-temperature performance and excellent mechanical properties. 3D printed tantalum metal components can achieve the design and manufacture of complex structures, enhancing the performance and reliability of the components.
Tantalum should only be considered for use when other inexpensive metals (such as stainless steel, nickel-based alloys, and titanium) fail to meet corrosion resistance or special requirements. A strict full life cycle cost analysis is required. Avoid contact with hydrogen. Under cathodic reaction conditions (such as when used as a stirrer in acidic solutions), tantalum will absorb hydrogen and become brittle. It is often required to be coupled with platinum or stainless steel for anode protection. When high-temperature oxidation protection is used in the air above 300°C, oxidation issues need to be considered, or coating protection can be adopted. To compensate for high costs in design, lining structures (with a 1-2mm tantalum plate lined inside the steel shell) or composite structures are often adopted instead of all-tantalum manufacturing, in order to save material costs. The welding of tantalum in connection technology (such as electron beam welding and laser welding) needs to be carried out under extremely high-purity inert gas or vacuum, with high technical requirements. The connection with dissimilar metals is usually very difficult.
Tantalum parts are one of the ultimate solutions to extreme corrosion, high temperatures and biocompatibility issues. Its application is a typical example of "exchanging high costs for irreplaceable performance and reliability", and is commonly found in key high-end equipment with extremely high requirements for safety and durability and without considering cost.
