MPS  /  MATERIALS  /  REFRACTORY / INDUSTRIAL POWDER  /  TUNGSTEN & TUNGSTEN HEAVY ALLOYS
W
Z 74 · ATOMIC MASS 183.84

Tungsten & Tungsten Heavy Alloys

The densest structural metal in production — supplied in both morphologies.   Spherical (plasma-densified) tungsten and tungsten-heavy-alloy (WHA) for LPBF, DED, and high-temperature AM. Angular (as-reduced) tungsten for press-and-sinter, carbide feedstock, hardfacing, and industrial powder metallurgy. Pure W, W-Ni-Fe, W-Ni-Cu, and W-Cu chemistries.

Program Intake Program Tiers
Purity grades
99.95% · 99.99% · 99.999%
WHA classes
90W · 92.5W · 95W · 97W
PSD cuts
2–5 · 15–45 · 45–106 μm
Process
PA · Plasma-densified · APT reduced
Lead time
4 weeks standard
Traceability
APT lot → reduction → lot
01METALLURGY

Tungsten's density (19.3 g/cm³, ~1.7× lead) and melting point (3422°C) make it irreplaceable in kinetic-energy penetrators, gamma-ray shielding, counterweights, and aerospace balance masses. Tungsten heavy alloys (WHA) bind W particles with a Ni-Fe or Ni-Cu matrix, delivering 90–97% W density with machinability that pure W cannot offer.

China refines approximately 80% of the world's tungsten (USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries, 2024). U.S. programs relying on Chinese ammonium paratungstate face export-restriction and DFARS-specialty-metals exposure. Our tungsten supply chain draws on non-Chinese APT from Portugal, Vietnam, and North America, with reduction and atomization performed in the U.S. and allied nations.

02SPECIFICATION
Morphology
Spherical (plasma-densified) for AM · angular (as-reduced) for press-and-sinter, carbide, hardfacing
Chemistry — Pure W
99.95% and 99.99% grades · ASTM B777 · MIL-T-21014
Chemistry — W-Ni-Fe (WHA)
ASTM B777 Class 1 · AMS 7725 · magnetic
Chemistry — W-Ni-Cu (WHA)
ASTM B777 Class 2 · non-magnetic
Chemistry — W-Cu
75/25 · 80/20 · 90/10 · electrical / thermal management
Oxygen — spherical (AM)
Locked at program qualification against buyer spec
Oxygen — angular (industrial)
Grade-dependent · locked at program qualification
PSD — LPBF spherical
15–45 µm target · locked to buyer machine
PSD — DED / EBM spherical
45–105 µm target · locked at qualification
PSD — angular / press-and-sinter
Sub-10 µm fine, custom coarse fractions available
Radiological
Non-DU · non-radioactive · unrestricted
Traceability
APT source → reduction lot → densification / screen lot → PO
03GRADES & ALLOYS
Spherical Pure W — AM
Plasma-densified. LPBF, EBM, DED. X-ray target and high-temp AM parts.
Angular Pure W — Industrial
As-reduced. Press-and-sinter blanks, radiation shielding, sintered mill products.
Angular W — Carbide Feedstock
Reduction-grade tungsten for downstream WC production and cemented-carbide tooling.
Angular W — Hardfacing
Coarse angular tungsten for welding-consumable fill and wear-overlay applications.
W-Ni-Fe 90/7/3
Class 1 WHA. Kinetic penetrators, counterweights. Magnetic.
W-Ni-Fe 95/3.5/1.5
Higher-density Class 1. Radiation shielding for medical isotopes.
W-Ni-Fe 97/2.1/0.9
Maximum-density WHA. Anti-armor applications.
W-Ni-Cu 90/6/4
Class 2 WHA. Non-magnetic. Aerospace guidance-system ballast.
W-Cu 75/25 · 80/20 · 90/10
Electrical contacts, thermal-management heat sinks, EDM electrodes.
04PROCESSING ROUTES
LPBF (pure W)
Requires preheat > 500°C, low crack sensitivity above 800°C.
LPBF (WHA)
W-Ni-Fe printable in-situ; W-Ni-Cu requires binder-jet + infiltration.
Press & sinter
Standard PM route. 1450–1500°C liquid-phase sinter.
Binder jet + sinter
Best for complex geometries. Full density > 99% achievable.
HIP consolidation
Post-sinter for zero-porosity nuclear and radiation-shielding parts.
Explosive compaction
For pure W penetrator preforms. Program-specific.
05APPLICATIONS
Defense
Kinetic Penetrators
W-Ni-Fe 90–97% for anti-armor rounds. AMS 7725 compliant, DFARS specialty-metals compliant.
Defense
Radiation Shielding
W-Ni-Fe 95W for nuclear-safety and radioactive-materials transport casks.
Aerospace
Balance & Counterweights
Non-magnetic W-Ni-Cu for control-surface balance masses and inertial systems.
Medical
Isotope Shielding
W-Ni-Fe collimators for PET, SPECT, and linac systems.
Semiconductor
Sputter Targets
Pure 99.999% W and W-Ti alloy targets for backend metallization.
Energy
Fusion First Wall
Pure W for tokamak plasma-facing components under research contracts.
06QUALITY CONTROL
Chemistry
LECO (O/C/N) · ICP-MS for trace metallics · GDMS for < 1 ppm impurities
PSD
Laser diffraction per ASTM B822 · sieve verification
Morphology
SEM with circularity index per ASTM F1877
Density
Apparent (B212) · pycnometer for theoretical density verification
Radiological screening
Gamma spec on request for medical/nuclear programs
Magnetic screening
For W-Ni-Cu (guaranteed non-magnetic)
Every lot ships with a mill-certified Certificate of Conformance (CofC) documenting chemistry, PSD, morphology, flow, and traceability from mill heat through atomization to PO. Retained samples are held per lot for program-life duration.

Move it to a
program.

MPS-1 qualification, MPS-2 production, or MPS-3 strategic supply. 4-week standard lead time on qualified stock.

Program Intake Compare Program Tiers