Communications; On the formation of potassium bubbles in tungsten rod
- General Electric Co., Schenectady, NY (USA). Corporate Research and Development Center
The microstructure of tungsten wire that is manufactured for use as lamp filaments has been studied by a number of researchers. The author demonstrates that one of the most important features of the microstructure is the potassium bubbles, approximately 500 A in diameter, that are aligned in rows in the direction of wire drawing. These bubbles pin the grain boundaries as they migrate down the length of the wire, giving rise to an interlocking grain structure in the recrystallized wire. If these bubbles were not present, a bamboo structure would form which would then rapidly fail during operation of the lamp as a result of grain boundary sliding. The potassium which forms these bubbles is incorporated into the tungsten during sintering of the powder metallurgy ingot.
- OSTI ID:
- 5217385
- Journal Information:
- Metallurgical Transactions, (Section) A: Physical Metallurgy and Materials Science; (USA), Vol. 20A:1; ISSN 0360-2133
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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