Tantalum: Properties And Applications

The Corrosion Resistance of Tantalum

Tantalum is a rational choice when high corrosion resistance is required. The metal exhibits a density of 16.6 g/cm³, which is twice that of steel. We manufacture heat exchangers for process engineering, load carriers for oven construction, implants for medical technology, and capacitor components for the electronics industry using this material. Its corrosion resistance makes tantalum a valuable material for many chemical applications.

Tantalum has excellent thermal and electrical conducting properties.

Tantalum remains ductile at high temperatures, exhibits high hardness, and shows notable thermal and electrical conductivity. Its melting point of 2 996 °C is the fourth highest among all metals. Although tantalum is not classified among the noble metals, its chemical resistance is comparable with theirs. It can be processed efficiently at temperatures well below room temperature despite its cubic body-centred crystal structure.

With its combination of specific physical and chemical properties, tantalum is used in many applications:

Tantalum exhibits a high degree of biocompatibility. Consequently, it is used in medical technology as an X‐ray contrast agent and in the production of bone substitute materials and implants.

In the aeronautical and space sectors as well as in the energy sector, tantalum is added to alloys in turbine blades to enhance corrosion resistance.

The chemical corrosion and high‐temperature resistance of tantalum offer several advantages for the chemical process industry. Therefore, it is used in the manufacture of reactor coatings, heat exchangers, and pipelines.

Its ability to form an extremely thin oxide layer that acts as a protective barrier renders tantalum suitable for the production of small capacitors.

A variety of tantalum compounds offer material properties that are essential for modern industrial applications:

Due to its fine microstructure, tantalum is used to draw ultra‐thin wires with a particularly pure surface for use in tantalum capacitors. We can determine the chemical, electrical, and mechanical properties of these wires with high precision.

During the production of tool and cutting steels containing carbides, tantalum and niobium carbide are added to increase performance and stability.

Manufacturers of optical lenses use tantalum oxides to improve the refractive index of their products, thereby enabling thinner lens profiles.

The broad range of industrial applications in which our tantalum is used reflects the specific properties of the material.

Its corrosion resistance combined with its formability and weldability renders tantalum a suitable material for heat exchangers. We manufacture tantalum heat exchangers that are stable and resistant against various corrosive agents.