Factors Influencing Rare Earth Tungsten Electrode

Rare earth tungsten electrode is electrode doped with rare earth, including doping one element, two elements and three elements or more. Manufacturing process and the raw material will influence electrode quality.

1. Uniformity of Rare Earth Doping
Solid-liquid sintering is a good choice for uniform doping to produce tungsten electrode. Raw materials are APT (ammonium paratungstate) and rare earth nitrate. The doping process is to make nitrate mixing with APT together, which is benefit for the later decomposition of rare earth and doped into tungsten crystal to reach a result of uniform doping.

2. Reduction of Powder Size
the grain size and distribution during reduction of rare earth powder and tungsten powder will also influence the quality of rare earth tungsten electrode. Because of adding rare earth nitrate into APT, its reduction temperature is higher than the APT itself. The grain size is mainly controlled by the boat loading capacity and temperature difference in the reduction furnace. Good control of the temperature can reduce out better size of rare earth doped tungsten powder.

3. Sintering
Sintering process is the next step after powder is made. Tungsten electrode blank bar is made after sintering. Appropriate temperature is main factor to assure keeping rare earth can sinter together with tungsten bar. Also, in this process, the temperature has been significant.

4. Drawing and Processing
Considering the higher recrystalization temperature of rare earth doped tungsten electrode, its processing requires higher temperature. During this process, rare earth actually is negative for electrode recovery and recrystalization. Larger deformation, but lower processing temperature. The decreasing extent should be much larger than pure tungsten electrodes drawing.

Gathering the above factors influencing the quality of rare earth doped tungsten electrode, temperature has been the common factor and has been the most important one during electrodes production. It can deny that without good control of temperature, the quality of electrode is not assured. Differing rare earth doped electrode from tungsten electrode should be paid attention during manufacturing process.

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