If you need custom metal components that can function in high temperatures, then you should know that there are specific metals that suit your needs particularly well.
Those are commonly heat-resistant alloys.
Such alloys share strength and creep resistance at high temperatures, which means they won’t deform under extreme heat and high stress.
The heat-resistant properties of metal alloys are a direct result of the heat treatment they undergo, allowing them to withstand high temperatures of up to 4000 °C (7232 °F).
There are two factors that allow high-resistant metal alloys to withstand such high heat: the structure of the alloy (components) and the interatomic bonds within it.
In the following sections, we will go over six of the best high-temperature metals, outlining their components, properties, and uses.
Armed with this information, you will be in a better position to decide which one of these heat-resistant metals is the right solution for you.
This silver-gray-white metal is commonly used to create strong and lightweight heat-resistant and corrosion-resistant alloys.
At 1668 °C (3034 °F), titanium’s melting point may not be the highest among heat-resistant alloys, but it is still quite high.
Although it is considered a rare metal, it is currently used as a standard material for the manufacturing and engineering of many industrial and consumer applications.
Titanium is typically made using the Kroll process.
During the process, titanium dioxide is exposed to chlorine resulting in titanium tetrachloride.
The new formation is then reacted with magnesium to get rid of any chlorine elements that may remain.
Titanium is often described as a “sponge” since porous holes are created within its structure and on its surface during its formation.
This metal has many beneficial engineering properties, the most common of which are:
Another one of its amazing characteristics is its ability to mix with other alloys adding an extra layer of tensile strength, heat resistance, and toughness to its pure form.
Because of its great structural integrity, which is a result of the previously listed features, titanium is used to manufacture high-performance applications.
A list of those is given below:
Since titanium can withstand high heat and prevent corrosion when exposed to carbon-fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRPs), it has replaced much of the aluminum parts that were primarily used in aircraft before the 1960s.
Like titanium, tungsten has a silver-white coloration.
The name tungsten is derived from the Swedish words tung and sten, which translates to “heavy stone”.
The name is quite appropriate, because its tough structure and high melting point make tungsten one of the toughest materials on earth.
It also has the highest melting point 3,422 °C—6,192 °F), as well as the highest tensile strength (142,000 psi) of any metal or element on earth.
Because of this, it is often used to form heavy metal alloys like high-speed steel, which is used to manufacture various forms of cutting tools.
Pure tungsten is very hard to shape and form due to its tough exterior and high melting point.
Therefore, it is often turned into powder and mixed with other powdered metals to create different alloys which are then used to manufacture various applications.
Powdered tungsten can be mixed with powdered metals like nickel via a sintering process to produce different alloys with additional improved properties.
Tungsten’s primary properties include:
Tungsten is difficult to shape, so it is mostly utilized as an additive to help create various forms of specialty alloys.
Some of the applications for which it is used include:
In its pure form, tungsten is also used in many electronic applications like electrodes, contacts, sheets, wires, and rods.
Also, since it has the same density as gold (less luster but harder structure), it is often used by jewelers to fashion necklaces and rings.
Stainless steel is an alloy that is composed of three different metals: iron, chromium, and nickel.
A special heat-treating process is used to combine these three elements to form stainless steel.
This process can be summarized as follows:
Of its many properties, two of stainless steel’s most popular engineering features are its corrosion resistance and eco-friendliness.
Stainless steel is often referred to as “green material” since it can be recycled an infinite number of times.
As for its heat-resistant properties, stainless steel’s melting point falls anywhere between 1400 to 1530 °C (2550 to 2790 °F).
The reason the melting point is an average and not an exact number is due to the variable amounts of mixed elements that are combined to form different stainless steel grades.
The three elements that stainless steel is made from all have different melting points:
Depending on how much of either of the three elements are used will affect its final melting point to a lesser or higher degree.
However, the melting points will almost always fall between the averages that were previously mentioned.
Stainless steel has widespread use in many applications due to its desirable manufacturing and engineering properties.
These include:
It does not need to be painted, treated, or coated once it is put into use, and its low-maintenance requirements are among its most sought-after qualities.
As a result, stainless steel is very popular, especially for the following applications:
Stainless steel’s high melting point and high tensile strength increase a product’s stress resistance, structural load, and life cycle.
This silvery-white metal (gray in powder form) is extremely ductile and has a high degree of corrosion resistance.
Its melting point and heat-resistant properties are also quite high.
Molybdenum has a melting point of 2,623 °C (4,753 °F), which is the fifth-highest melting point among all metals.
Its high melting point allows components composed of molybdenum to operate efficiently at hot temperatures.
That is very useful for products that require heat-resistant lubrication under such conditions.
Molybdenum disulfide is often used as a dry lubricant in the form of bonded coatings, greases, and dispersions to increase heat resistance.
What is more, molybdenum powder can be converted into hard, massive metal if needed via the powder-metallurgy process or the arc-casting process. In other words, molybdenum’s solid form can be used for applications that require them.
However, molybdenum is still mostly used in powdered form since it exhibits several beneficial properties.
These include:
Many of these properties persist in its solid form as well.
Molybdenum is also used to produce commercial alloys which are hard and strong, have electrical conductivity, and exhibit a tremendous amount of resistance to wear and tear.
These alloys are used for the following applications:
Even though molybdenum is abundant in nature, it is not freely found (1.1 parts of it per million).
Therefore, it typically costs a bit more than other heat-resistant metals, especially when the demand for steel production is high since it is frequently used for steel coatings.
Like many of the other heat-resistant metals on this list, nickel is a silvery-white transition metal known for its high melting point (1455°C—2651°F) and corrosion resistance.
Nickel’s high corrosion resistance makes it useful for plating and coating other metals, as well as for the creation of alloys like stainless steel.
Nickel’s high melting point is a direct result of the attraction of its positive and negative ions (protons and electrons) which form a strong bond that can hold together even under tremendous pressure and heat.
Since nickel is a naturally-occurring metal that is found abundantly in earth deposits, it is not created through any process but extracted from rock formations (ultramafic and igneous mafic) located mostly in tropical climates.
Nickel alloys, on the other hand, are formed by combining nickel with other metals like aluminum, titanium, iron, copper, and chromium through a simple heat treatment process.
These alloys are then used to manufacture a variety of products in different industries.
There are approximately 3,000 nickel-based alloys in use today.
The common properties exhibited by all variations of nickel alloys include:
As was mentioned earlier, nickel-based alloys are used for many applications within different industries and while the list is quite extensive.
It can be condensed down to the following:
Nickel is highly resistant to oxidation even in extremely hot temperatures and can prevent electrical corrosion.
As a result, it is a great choice for the creation of heat and corrosion-resistant alloys that are needed to fortify applications working in corrosive and hot environments.
This rare blue-gray metal is known for its extremely hard structure, high melting point, and resistance to almost all forms of corrosive acids.
Tantalum’s melting point (3020°C—5468°F), is the third highest among all elements.
Raw tantalum is typically found in ore deposits called ore columbite-tantalite (or coltan).
Once it is mined, it is separated from niobium and other metals found in minerals in one of three ways.
These include:
The sodium metal thermal reduction process is probably the most popular method of the three to produce tantalum powder, a widely used material in electrical applications.
Tantalum allows for a wider grain change range than other manufacturing materials and this helps reduce costs and increases design capacities and mechanical properties.
Tantalum holds many properties that have increased its use in the 21st century.
These include:
Tantalum is often combined with other elements to produce alloys with enhanced melting points and tensile strength.
As far as its applications go, tantalum is mostly used to produce components within the power industry.
However, it is also considered a useful manufacturing material in the aircraft, defense, and chemical industries because of its high heat and corrosion-resistant properties.
Tantalum is commonly used in the following applications:
Out of all of the applications listed above, tantalum is probably prized the most for its use in electrolytic capacitors.
Tantalum capacitors can store the highest electrical charge per unit of all capacitors.
The metals mentioned in the above guide are the top six heat-resistant materials that can be used for manufacturing heat-resistant custom-metal parts.
They offer a good range of mechanical and engineering properties including corrosion resistance, tensile strength, fatigue strength, high ductility, ease of fabrication, and toughness.
The heat-resistant metal that is right for your project will depend on its requirements. The above information can help you choose the right one.
Before you make your final decision remember to consult a metal manufacturer that has the expertise and experience to match the right material to your intended application.
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