Tungsten vs Tungsten Carbide: What Is the Difference

What Is Tungsten

Tungsten, also known as wolfram, is a chemical element with the symbol W and atomic number 74 on the periodic table. It is a rare metal found naturally in the earth’s crust, often in compounds with other elements. In its pure form, tungsten is a steel-gray to tin-white metal with a high melting point of 3,422°C (6,192°F), the highest of all metals. This dense metal has a hardness rating of 7.5 on the Mohs scale, making it one of the hardest metals known.

What Is Tungsten Carbide

Tungsten carbide is a chemical compound containing equal parts of tungsten and carbon atoms (WC). It is an extremely hard and durable material, with a hardness rating of 9-9.5 on the Mohs scale, making it one of the hardest materials known, surpassed only by diamond and cubic boron nitride.

To produce tungsten carbide, tungsten powder is mixed with carbon and heated in a process called sintering. The resulting material is a gray powder that can be formed into various shapes through additional processing, such as pressing and sintering.

Tungsten carbide’s unique properties, including its extreme hardness, high melting point (2,870°C or 5,200°F), and excellent wear resistance, make it an ideal material for a wide range of applications.

Difference Between Tungsten and Tungsten Carbide

Density

Tungsten has a density of 19.25 g/cm³, making it one of the densest metals.

Tungsten carbide has a slightly lower density of 15.63 g/cm³, which is still significantly higher than most other materials.

Hardness

While tungsten is a hard metal with a rating of 7.5 on the Mohs scale, tungsten carbide is significantly harder, with a rating of 9-9.5. This extreme hardness makes tungsten carbide highly resistant to scratches and abrasions, but also more brittle than pure tungsten.

Cost

Tungsten carbide is generally less expensive than pure tungsten due to the added carbon content and the more efficient manufacturing process.

FAQs

Why Is Tungsten Carbide so Cheap

Tungsten carbide is often less expensive than pure tungsten and many other materials due to several factors:

1. Abundant raw materials: Tungsten and carbon, the two elements that make up tungsten carbide, are relatively abundant and easily sourced.
2. Efficient manufacturing process: The sintering process used to create tungsten carbide is more efficient and cost-effective than the processes required to work with pure tungsten.
3. Lower purity requirements: For many applications, tungsten carbide does not need to be as pure as other materials, such as precious metals, which helps to keep costs down.

Does Tungsten Carbide Crack Easily

In most everyday situations, tungsten carbide is unlikely to crack easily. Its high hardness and durability make it resistant to the normal wear and tear that would damage other materials.

When used in jewelry, such as tungsten carbide rings, the risk of cracking is minimal under normal use. However, if subjected to a hard impact, such as being hit with a hammer or dropped onto a hard surface from a significant height, tungsten carbide can crack or shatter.