Tungsten - ₇₄W: uses

The following uses for tungsten are gathered from a number of sources as well as from anecdotal comments. I would be delighted to receive corrections as well as additional referenced uses.

• useful for glass-to-metal seals since the thermal expansion is about the same as borosilicate glass
• tungsten and its alloys are used extensively for filaments for electric lamps, electron and television tubes, and for metal evaporation work
• electrical contact points for car distributors
• X-ray targets
• windings and heating elements for electrical furnaces
• missile and high-temperature applications
• high-speed tool steels and many other alloys contain tungsten
• the carbide is important to the metal-working, mining, and petroleum industries
• calcium and magnesium tungstates are widely used in fluorescent lighting
• tungsten salts are used in the chemical and tanning industries
• tungsten disulphide is a dry, high-temperature lubricant, stable to 500°C
• tungsten bronzes and other tungsten compounds are used in paints
• TV tubes (electron tubes)
• X-ray targets

More recently tungsten has found use in jewellery where its hardness and scratch resistance make it highly desirable. Image credit: Superior Wedding Rings.