Due to its excellent high-temperature resistance, mechanical strength, and chemical stability, black tungsten wire plays an irreplaceable role in lighting, electronics, high-temperature industries, welding, photovoltaics, medical treatment, and scientific research. The following details the main uses of black tungsten wire.
1. Lighting Industry
The most well-known use of black tungsten wire is as the filament of incandescent light bulbs. Due to its high melting point of 3422°C and its ability to maintain stable luminous properties at high temperatures, tungsten wire is widely used as the electrode for traditional incandescent, halogen, and fluorescent lamps. When energized, tungsten wire produces high-brightness white light and offers excellent durability, significantly extending the life of the lamp.
2. Electronic Devices
In the electronics industry, black tungsten wire is used as the cathode or emitter in vacuum tubes, cathode ray tubes (CRTs), and X-ray tubes. Tungsten wire's high melting point and excellent electron emission properties make it suitable for emitting electrons in high-temperature, high-vacuum environments. For example, tungsten wire cathodes in X-ray machines generate high-energy electron beams for medical imaging and material testing.
3. High-Temperature Heating Elements
Due to its high-temperature and oxidation resistance (under vacuum or inert gas protection), black tungsten wire is commonly used as heating elements in high-temperature furnaces, such as vacuum furnaces and sintering furnaces. Tungsten wire can operate stably at temperatures approaching 3000°C, making it suitable for processes such as semiconductor manufacturing and crystal growth.
4. Welding
Black tungsten wire is used as a non-consumable electrode in tungsten inert gas (TIG) welding. Its high melting point and corrosion resistance enable it to remain stable in high-temperature arcs, making it widely used for precision welding of materials such as stainless steel and aluminum alloys.
5. Photovoltaics
In the photovoltaic industry, black tungsten wire is used in the solar cell manufacturing process, particularly in the silicon wafer cutting process. Tungsten wire serves as the base material for diamond wire saws, which are used to cut silicon ingots into thin wafers. Its high strength and wear resistance ensure cutting accuracy and efficiency, reducing silicon wafer production costs and improving the quality of solar cells. 6. Medical and Scientific Research
In the medical field, black tungsten wire is used to manufacture microelectrodes in surgical devices such as neurostimulators and electrosurgeons, where high precision and stability are crucial. In scientific research, tungsten wire is often used as electron sources in scanning electron microscopes (SEMs) and as thermocouples for high-temperature experiments.
7. Other Applications
Black tungsten wire is also used to manufacture resistance wire and electrode wire for electrical discharge machining (EDM). Its high hardness and stability make it suitable for use as a vibration damping material or electrode in precision instruments.
