Copper tungsten

What is copper tungsten?
Copper-tungsten (tungsten-copper, Cu-W, or W-Cu) alloy is a pseudo-alloy of copper and tungsten. As copper and tungsten are not mutually soluble, the material is composed of distinct particles of one metal dispersed in a matrix of the other one. The microstructure is therefore rather a metal matrix composite than a true alloy.

The alloy combines the properties of both metals, resulting in a material that is heat-resistant, ablation-resistant, highly thermally and electrically conductive, and easy to machine.

Parts are made from the Cu-W alloy by pressing the tungsten particles into a desired shape, sintering the compacted part, and then infiltrating with molten copper. Sheets, rods and bars of the alloy are available as well.

Commonly used copper tungsten alloy contains 10 to 50 wt. % of copper, the remaining portion being substantially all tungsten. The typical properties of the alloy depend on its composition. The alloy with less wt. % of copper has higher density, higher hardness and higher resistivity. The typical density of CuW90 alloy, with 10% of copper, is 16.75g/cm3 and 11.85g/cm3 for CuW50 alloy. CuW90 has higher hardness and resistivity of 260 HB kgf/mm2 and 6.5 µΩ.cm than CuW50.