Tungsten Electrode

What is Electrode?

An electrode is an electrical conductor used to make contact with a nonmetallic part of a circuit (e.g. a semiconductor, an electrolyte or a vacuum). The word was coined by the scientist Michael Faraday from the Greek words elektron (meaning amber, from which the word electricity is derived) and hodos, a way.

pure tungsten electrode image thorium tungsten electrode picture

Pure Tungsten Electrode

Thorium Tungsten Electrode

lanthanum tungsten electrode image cerium tungsten electrode picture

Lanthanum Tungsten Electrode

Cerium Tungsten Electrode

zirconium tungsten electrode image

Zirconium Tungsten Electrode

 

Tungsten Electrode for TIG welding:

Tungsten electrodes are used when arc welding with the Tungsten Inert gas (TIG) process or when plasma welding. In both processes the electrode, arc and weld pool are protected from atmospheric contamination by an inert gas. A tungsten electrode is used because it can withstand very high temperatures with minimal melting or erosion. Tungsten electrodes are made by powder metallurgy and are formed to size after sintering.

TIG welding tungsten electrodes usually contain small quantities of other metallic oxides which can offer the following benefits:-

  • facilitate arc starting
  • increase arc stability
  • improve current-carrying capacity of the rod.
  • reduce the risk of weld contamination
  • increase electrode life

Oxides used are primarily those of zirconium, thorium, lanthanum, yttrium or cerium. Additions are usually of order 1%-4%. All these oxides greatly improve arc initiation, especially when direct current (DC) welding is employed. Thorium oxide (thoria) has been used for many years having been found effective in terms of long life and thermal efficiency. Zirconium oxide (zirconia) has been commonly used for alternating current (AC) TIG welding, normally for welding aluminium.

Type Grade Color Chemical Composition (%) Features
R.E Impurities W
Pure WP Green / ≤0.05 Balance Non-radioactive, AC welding, aluminum, magnesium, their alloys
Thorium WT10 Yellow 0.9~1.1 ≤0.05 Balance

Excellent electron emission, overall performances, high current-carrying capacity radioactivity, DC welding, carbon steel, stainless steel, nickel and titanium alloys.

WT20 Red 1.8~2.2 ≤0.05 Balance
WT30 Purple 2.8~3.2 ≤0.05 Balance
WT40 Orange 3.8~4.2 ≤0.05 Balance
Lanthanum WL10 Black 0.9~1.1 ≤0.05 Balance Non-radioactive, excellent electric conductivity and welding capacity, high current-carrying capacity, minimum ratio of burnt area, DC welding
WL15 Gold 1.3~1.7 ≤0.05 Balance
WL20 Blue 1.8~2.2 ≤0.05 Balance
Cerium WC10 Pink 0.9~1.1 ≤0.05 Balance

Non-radioactive, easier arc initiation under low current circumstances, low arc- maintaining current, pipelines, small components and discontinuous welding

WC15 Orange 1.3~1.7 ≤0.05 Balance
WC20 Grey 1.8~2.2 ≤0.05 Balance
Yttrium WY20 Blue 1.8~2.2 ≤0.05 Balance Non-radioactive, long and slim arc beam with high compression, deeper burning groove under medium and high current circumstances
Compound WX Cyan 1.0~5.0 ≤0.05 Balance Different additives

All the types of tungsten electrodes can be made with surface conditions of drawn, electrolytic polished, ground and swaged.

If there is any interest in pure tungsten products, please feel free to contact us through the following methods.
Email: sales@chinatungsten.com
Tel.: +86 592 512 9696/+86 592 512 9595

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1.How to Order Tungsten Electrode