Tantalum (Ta, TaW2.5, TaW10)

Tantalum is a ductile, grey shiny metal. The name originates from Tantalos (Greek mythology: torments of Tantalus – sustain horrible thirst) and refers to the characteristic of Tantalum-oxide Ta2O5, not to form salts together with acids. It derives mainly from Tantalum containing Copper or Tin ores and slags (Tantalite or Coltan). Economically, significant resources can be found in Australia, Brazil, Canada, Thailand and others. A large part of Tantalum is mainly used for electrical capacitors. Besides the use as an alloying element for the steel industry or as Tantalum-Carbide in cemented carbides, Tantalum metal is used in various fields of industry.

Significant Characteristics and Applications:
  • excellent corrosion resistance against aggressive fluids and many molten metals
  • very high melting point, only exceeded by Tungsten and Rhenium
  • very ductile, good weldability and relatively good deformability
  • very good biocompatibility

Tantalum is used as pure metal or as an alloy in the process industry for manufacturing vessels, stirrers, tubes and heat exchangers, for medical implants, markers and surgical instruments as well as for high temperature application for heating elements, heat shielding and other components.

Tantalum-Tungsten (TaW2.5):
Compared with pure Tantalum, this alloy has a better strength, particularly a better high temperature strength.

Tantalum-Tungsten (TaW10):
Compared with pure Tantalum and TaW2.5 this alloy has a considerably increased strength up to very high temperatures. Due to the difficult processing and manufacturing the availability of many semi-finished parts is restricted.

Important Alloys:
  • Ta 99.95 % (R05200 vacuum arc-melt)
  • Ta 99.95 % (R05400 powder metallurgical)
  • Ta 99.99 % (4N-Quality)
  • Ta97.5W2.5 (R0552 vacuum arc-melt)
  • Ta90W10 (R05255 vacuum arc-melt)
  • Ta60Nb40 (R05240 vacuum arc-melt)

ASTM Standard Specifications:
ASTM B364 (Tantalum and Tantalum-Alloy Ingots)
ASTM B365 (Tantalum and Tantalum Alloy Rod and Wire)
ASTM B708 (Tantalum and Tantalum Alloy Plate, Sheet and Strip)
ASTM B521 (Tantalum and Tantalum Alloy Seamless and Welded Tubes)
ASTM F560 (Unalloyed Tantalum for Surgical Implant Applications)


Range of Products:
Foils, strips, ribbons, sheets, plates, wires, rods, tubes, sputtering targets, evaporation boats, crucibles, filaments, heaters, high temperature components, standard fabricated components (screws, nuts and others) and parts according to drawings.