Tantalum Metal Suppliers

Tantalum Properties

Tantalum is a heavy, rare, ductile metal highly resistant to corrosion, chemicals and high temperatures and has a dark blue/grey appearance. Tantalum is a relatively rare metal element used extensively in technology settings such as mobile phones and computers but also in extreme environments such as vacuum furnaces. Tantalum is a chemical element with the symbol Ta and an atomic number of 73 in the periodic table. It has been used since its discovery in 1802 for its chemical resistance..

Tantalum has the fourth highest melting temperature of all metals in the periodic table and, combined with it’s high resistance to corrosion this makes it useful in the chemical and marine industry. Tantalum is part of the corrosion-resistant, high-temperature, and refractory metals. Find out more about corrosion resistant alloys here: https://vulcanmetalgroup.com/corrosion-resistant-alloys/

Tantalum Applications

Tantalum is used surgically, in chemical processing equipment, jet turbines, nuclear reactors, dental, crucibles, heat exchangers, turbine blades, capacitors, semiconductors, magnetic shielding and in sputtering targets.

Tantalum is widely used in the marine industry as it is a non-toxic metal that does not release any pollutants into the marine ecosystem and being corrosion-resistant can be used in the ocean without its structure being weakened.

Tantalum is commonly used in nuclear reactors due to its high temperature performance which can retain properties without melting. It is used within nuclear fusion research as tantalum wires used in nuclear reactors often incorporate barriers designed to resist internal diffusion.

• Surgical
• Capacitors
• Vacuum Furnaces
• Chemical Processing Equipment
• Nuclear Reactors
• Dental
• Crucibles
• Heat Exchangers
• Turbine Blades
• Semiconductors
• Sputtering Targets
• Magnetic Shielding

Tantalum Formats supplied:

Vulcan Metal Group supplies tantalum sheet, foil, strip, plate, wire, rod, bar, powder, blanks, pipe, tubing, fittings and crucibles. Custom machined and finished parts supplied to print.

Please contact us for more information and how we can help you.

Tantalum – Did You Know?

• Tantalum was first discovered in 1802 by the Swedish chemist Anders Ekeberg. He named the new element after the Greek mythological figure Tantalus, the father of Niobe.
• The largest reserves of tantalum are found in Australia, Brazil, and Canada whilst Rwanda, the Democratic Republic of Congo, and China are also major producers.
• Tantalum has the third-highest melting point of all known elements, surpassed only by tungsten and rhenium and can resist corrosion by Aqua Regia, a mixture of nitric and hydrochloric acid, which can dissolve many other metals.
• Tantalum is used in nuclear reactor lining due to its resistance to corrosion by nuclear fuels and is often used in medical bone repair plates, artificial joints and surgical instruments due to its resistance to bodily fluids. Tantalum nanoparticles are being investigated for their potential in targeted cancer therapies to deliver drugs directly to cancer cells. Tantalum helps make music when incorporated into guitar strings to enhance their durability and longevity.
• Tantalum is used in high-performance turbine blades for jet engines and also a crucial component in high quality capacitors. Some audiophiles believe that tantalum capacitors contribute to superior sound quality. It is also valued for having unique low temperature superconducting properties making it useful in superconducting magnets and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines.