High temperature application: the mechanical properties of pure tantalum at high temperature are not very outstanding, generally need to form alloys with other elements. As the matrix of thermal-strength alloy, tantalum can be added with some elements to improve its high temperature strength, but the content of the added elements must be controlled. In fact, titanium, zirconium, Nb and other elements cannot strengthen tantalum, and if the addition amount exceeds 5%, it will weaken tantalum. Tungsten, molybdenum, etc., such as Ta-10%W-2.5%Mo, can be added to improve the thermal strength of tantalum. The working temperature of Ta-8%W-2%Hf and other alloys can exceed 1300℃.
Tantalum base heat intensity alloy has better thermal performance and excellent processing performance, can be made into all kinds of bar, such as tubing and plate, tantalum heat strong metal alloys can be used for missile, rocket, jet aircraft, aerospace craft and the thermal stress of components manufacture gas turbine blade, tantalum is also one of the alternative material of high temperature in the reactor, used in the manufacture of high temperature thermocouple protection tube, etc.
Application of Anticorrosion: Due to the high price of tantalum, people seek to prepare various tantalum alloys instead of pure tantalum. Among tantalum alloys, the corrosion resistance of some tantalum alloys is better than that of pure tantalum in some solutions. For example, tantalum alloys containing<18%W can resist the corrosion of 20%HF, although they are inferior to pure tantalum in other corrosive media (such as 5%KOH solution, KOH and K3Fe(CN)61:3 mixture, etc.). Ta-2.5W has high hardness, strength, wear resistance without damaging corrosion resistance, so it is also widely used in heat exchangers.
Coating material: tantalum is used as the coating material for tungsten solid targets in high energy accelerators due to its corrosion resistance, high neutron yield and good metallurgical compatibility with tungsten, thus solving the problem of easy corrosion of tungsten targets in the hot water environment irradiated by proton, thus prolonging the life of tungsten targets with high neutron yield.
