Diameter 0.5~25mm Thorium Welding Rod Cerium Red Tig Electrode Red Tungsten Electrode For Aluminum Pure Tungsten

The Difference Between Thorium Tungsten Electrode And Cerium Tungsten Electrode

Although thorium tungsten electrode and cerium tungsten electrode are both electrodes with metal tungsten as the main raw material, and cerium tungsten can be used to replace thorium tungsten in many cases, due to the difference of dopants, the appearance, performance, There are certain differences in the production process and use.

1. Defining Aspects

Thorium tungsten electrode refers to an electrode product whose chemical composition is mainly tungsten and thorium oxide.

Cerium tungsten is an electrode product made by adding cerium oxide to tungsten base through powder metallurgy and rolling grinding and polishing process. The range is between 0.5-12.0mm and the length is 150mm or 175mm.

2. Performance

Both have the characteristics of low electron work function, low melting rate, strong current carrying capacity, easy arc starting, stable arc beam, long service life, good electrical conductivity, mechanical cutability and weldability. But the following points need to be noted:

1) The cathode pressure drop of thoriated tungsten electrode is higher than that of cerium tungsten electrode.

2) At low voltage, the lifetime of cerium tungsten electrode is longer than that of thoriated tungsten electrode.

3) The minimum arc starting voltage of cerium tungsten electrode is 12V, and the minimum arc starting voltage of thorium tungsten electrode is 30V.

4) Under the same cutting conditions, when the nozzle leaks water, the loss of thorium tungsten electrode  is larger than that of cerium tungsten electrode.

5) The work function of cerium tungsten electrode and α-ray dose are lower than that of thorium tungsten electrode, and there is no radioactivity.

6) In terms of electrode emission current density, the arc column bright band of cerium tungsten is narrow and long, the arc light is bright and the emission current density is higher than that of thoriated tungsten electrode.

3. Production process

Preparation of thorium tungsten electrode: Mix tungsten powder and thorium oxide powder in a certain proportion, then press and sinter to produce thorium tungsten rod. After swaging, wire drawing, straightening, cutting and polishing, the thoriated tungsten electrode can be obtained.

Preparation of thorium tungsten electrode: adding cerium salt solution to tungsten oxide, drying and burning, followed by secondary reduction, the obtained tungsten and cerium powder is pressed into billets, pre-sintered in a hydrogen molybdenum wire furnace, and then electrified at high temperature After sintering, a tungsten-cerium billet is obtained, and then hot swaging is performed to draw the desired product.

4. Usage

Thorium tungsten electrodes are usually used in the field of DC welding and need to operate under high current conditions, and the welding materials can be carbon steel, stainless steel and copper and aluminum.

Cerium tungsten electrode is suitable for DC or AC welding field, mainly used in the welding of carbon steel, stainless steel, silicon copper, copper, bronze, titanium and other materials.

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