Interesting Facts About Invar

First discovered all the way back in the late 1800s, Invar is an alloy that’s made up of 64 percent iron and 36 percent nickel. Although it was originally used to create things like thermostats for electric immersion heaters, it plays a key role in an assortment of things today. You’ll find Invar in electric… Read more »

Interesting Facts About Niobium

has one of the most interesting back stories of all the elements that have ever been discovered. Way back in the early 1730s, a scientist named John Winthrop found an ore in Massachusetts of all places and sent it over to England to be examined further. However, it sat untouched for the most part in… Read more »

Cool Facts About Vanadium

If you’ve ever pedaled a bicycle or used a knife to cut up something in the kitchen, you may have benefitted from vanadium. Vanadium is an element that’s often used to create alloys that are both strong and durable. You’ll find traces of vanadium in things like bicycle parts and knives. It’s also commonly used… Read more »

Interesting Facts About Tantalum

Tantalum has one of the highest melting points of all the elements on Earth. Its melting point sits at approximately 5,462 degrees Fahrenheit, which puts it behind only tungsten and rhenium as far as melting points are concerned. Thanks to its high melting point, it’s often used in everything from capacitors and vacuum furnaces to… Read more »

Interesting Facts About Rhenium

Rhenium is an extremely rare metal with many properties that make it unique. It’s often used in powerful engines and plays a critical role in many chemical reactions. You can find rhenium in both a pure form and as part of many of today’s popular alloys. It can prove to be beneficial to those working… Read more »

A Beginner’s Guide to Molybdenum

First discovered way back in 1778, molybdenum is known for being very ductile. It’s also known for being very resistant to corrosion and for having one of the highest melting points of all the pure elements. Only tantalum and tungsten have melting points higher than molybdenum. However, that’s not all there is to know about… Read more »

How Nickel Alloys Can Help Your Operation

Nickel is a metal that has been around for thousands of years now. Nickel was used to make bronze knife coins and other objects in China as far back as 1046 BC. Nickel alloys are also one of the most popular alloys today. They’re used to manufacture products that are utilized in many different industries,… Read more »

Why Industrial Metals Are Vital to Our Economy

Industrial metals have just about always played an important role in the well-being of the global economy. Nevertheless, these days it appears as though industrial metals are going to play even more of a role than usual in spite of the global trade wars that are on the brink of breaking out. In the coming… Read more »

Interesting Facts About Tungsten

Tungsten, which was first discovered about 350 years ago, is known for being one of the toughest elements found in nature. It’s extremely dense and is just about impossible to melt. Its strength and durability has helped people find all kinds of uses for it. Here are some other interesting facts about tungsten that you… Read more »

The Differences Between Alloys and Composites

On the surface, alloys and composites have at least one big thing in common. Alloy and composite materials are both made up of a mixture of at least two components. Alloys and composites are also similar in that they exhibit different properties than the properties associated with the materials that are used to make them…. Read more »