Tungsten refers to a naturally occurring metal element with the chemical symbol W and an atomic number of 74. Tungsten has a hard steel-gray color and the highest melting point of any naturally occurring metal. It also has good corrosion resistance.
Tungsten is used to generate parts for a wide range of applications, such as:
Tungsten is classified as a refractory metal. Some important properties that must be considered prior to use for any metal or construction application include:
| Tensile strength at room temp., psi | 100,000 – 500,000 |
| Tensile strength at 500ºC, psi | 75,000 – 200,000 |
| Tensile strength at 1000ºC, psi | 50,000 – 75,000 |
| Poisson’s ratio | 0.284 |
| Hardness (mineral) | 7.5 |
| Hardness (Vickers) | 3430 |
| Hardness (Brinell) | 2570 |
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