What Is Lanthanated Tungsten?

Lanthanum tungsten electrodes are composite materials composed of tungsten and lanthanum metals. There are three types of lanthanum tungsten electrodes containing 2%, 1.5%, and 1% lanthanum oxide, respectively. Lanthanum oxide has the lowest electron work function, making it the easiest to initiate an arc and resulting in the lowest tip temperature. This helps to prevent grain growth and enhances service life. Tests have shown that, in the absence of overload current, these electrodes have a longer lifespan than thorium tungsten electrodes and are easier to arc in most uses.

Chemical Composition

Energy spectrum analysis                                                                                             

Metallograph

Dimensions

Surface

All thoriated tungsten electrodes come with a default polished surface finish; we also offer tungsten electrodes with a black surface treatment.

                                                             (Polished) 

                                                             (Black)

Advantage

.Easy arc initiation, stable arc column, and excellent welding performance; featuring a low burn-off rate, long service life, and good ductility, with the added benefit of being non-radioactive.

.Conductivity is close to that of thorium tungsten electrodes, making it suitable for a variety of currents and voltages.

.High resistance to temperature and corrosion, applicable for welding a wide range of materials.

.Notably, the 1.5% lanthanum tungsten electrode exhibits electrical conductivity performance very close to that of the 2.0% thorium tungsten, allowing welders to easily switch electrodes without needing to adjust the equipment's parameters.

Disadvantages

Lanthanum tungsten electrodes are relatively expensive and not very economical; they require special equipment and processes due to the difficulty in processing; the grains tend to grow large, and the migration rate can decrease, affecting performance.

What Is Thoriated Tungsten Used For?

Lanthanum tungsten electrodes are suitable for both DC and AC welding applications, as well as for microbeam plasma welding.

Main application areas include:

.Aluminum

.Non-alloy steel

.High-alloy steel

.Titanium

.Nickel

.Magnesium alloy

Tungsten Electrode Diameter and Corresponding Amperage Table

Package

Retail Packaging: 10 pieces/plastic box

Wholesale Packaging:

.10 pieces/plastic box, 10 plastic boxes/carton, 10 cartons/case (Total: 1000 pieces/case)

.10 pieces/plastic box, 20 plastic boxes/carton, 6 cartons/case (Total: 1200 pieces/case)

Common Issues and Precautions