Production

Pure rhenium is very malleable and can be rolled into the thinnest foil. Rhenium sheets are produced by "hot-cold" deformation. The only difference is the geometry of the initial semi-finished product - it is not a square-section stack, but a flat-shaped powder billet. Initially, the compact metal can be given the desired shape by means of standard technological actions, such as forging, bending or punching. Since rhenium oxidizes quickly at the optimum temperature for deformation, it is heated in a protective atmosphere, most often in hydrogen, and the processing time is minimized. The billet is heated to high temperatures and forged, and then rolled. To avoid cooling the metal, rolling is done at high speed. In shell rolling, cladding of the sheet with other metals is used. As it turns into thin sheet, the rolling temperature decreases. The rolled sheet has a very smooth surface and can be stamped and extruded into industrial products of various shapes. The surface of the sheets is cleaned of oxides by washing in a special hot solution of caustic soda or by calcination in a hydrogen atmosphere at 1000 °C. Complex-shaped rhenium parts can be produced by machining porous rhenium sintered blanks impregnated with copper. After sintering the piece in a vacuum, the copper is removed and the rhenium is compacted to 90% density.

Applications

Rhenium sheet is used in electrical engineering and metallurgy to produce a variety of electric heating elements with the highest resistance and stability. Most often, these elements are made of tape, 5-20 microns thick. Tape and strip are used to make compensation wires and resistance standards, for which a tungsten-rhenium alloy is usually used.

The percentage of the alloy

Rhenium tape is used to make self-cleaning electrical contacts. When the circuit is opened or closed, the electrical discharge oxidizes the contact metal. Rhenium oxidizes in the same way, but its oxide is volatile and evaporates from the contact surface during discharges, thus increasing the service life of electrical equipment significantly. Other properties of rhenium are also important in instrumentation. Its alloys are used to make cores for measuring instruments of the highest accuracy classes. Cores should be non-magnetic, hard (they wear out as slowly as possible) and corrosion-resistant. In geodetic instruments (levels, theodolites, gyrotheodolites) to stabilize optical or mechanical units, metal hangers made of the finest rhenium tape or wire are used. In mechanical engineering high-temperature resistant monocrystalline nickel alloys containing rhenium are used for blades of gas-turbine engines.

Supply

We supply certified rhenium sheet and strip. The specification includes data on the percentage composition and mechanical properties of the products. It's easy to buy any semi-finished products for large-scale production from us in bulk. We also cooperate with retail buyers. High level of service and efficiency of service is the face of our company.

Buy at a bargain price

The company "Elektrovek-steel" always has in stock rolled products of rare and refractory metals at the best price. It is formed taking into account European rates for base metals without the inclusion of additional costs. We supply certified products of domestic and foreign producers. Cooperation with us provides a number of advantages. Our specialists will be happy to provide advice on purchasing any alloys, the correct choice of which will depend on the performance and durability of the equipment. We will help to determine not only the optimum parameters of the product, but also offer the best price.