Tungsten is one of the most durable and versatile metals on earth. Due to its resistance to extreme heat and good thermal conductivity, it has uses in many industries, including aerospace, manufacturing, petroleum, and metalworking. 

However, you can also find tungsten metal and tungsten wire in everyday objects throughout your home. We discuss some of the most common tungsten products that you may not have considered before.

Getting to Know Tungsten Metal

Tungsten is a shiny, silver-white metal. Traditionally, it was used as the filaments in incandescent light bulbs. Tungsten has the highest melting point of all metals at 3410-degree C. It can also be alloyed with other metals to create superalloys used in turbine blades, airplane engines, valves, and pistons.   

Tungsten carbide, made by combining tungsten and carbon powder, is extremely hard and essential to industries like mining, metal-working, and petroleum.

Where can you find tungsten products in your home? Let’s take a look at tungsten wire benefits.

1. Lamps

Tungsten is mainly used as a filament in incandescent lamps. The lamp heats the wire, causing heat radiation and light. Most lamps reach a temperature of 2000-degree C, which is far lower than the melting point of tungsten.

Tungsten is often combined with other elements, such as iodine and halogen.

2. Hairdryers

Bet you didn’t know your hairdryer contains tungsten wire? It’s used to generate heat and push out hot air. There are two groups of tungsten wires, including a heating wire and a small fan. 

When you turn the hairdryer on, the heating wire generates…well…heat…while the fan pushes out the hot air. If you change the setting to “cold”, the fan will still turn, but the tungsten wire doesn’t get hot. 

3. Jewelry

Tungsten has become an increasingly popular choice in jewelry design. Modern wedding bands often contain tungsten, which makes them durable and resistant to scratches. Most rings contain about 85% tungsten and 15% nickel or other metal. 

You can also find tungsten used in bracelets, necklaces, and body jewelry.

4. Tungsten Carbide and Other Alloys

Although pure tungsten is mainly found in light bulbs, it can also be used with other metals to create tungsten carbide alloys or “superalloys”. Metals that are most often paired with tungsten include nickel, iron, cobalt, and copper. You’ll find these alloys in a number of everyday items, including golf clubs, lathe cutting bits, saw blades, computer disk drives, and cars.   

Keep Learning About the Everyday Objects in Your Home

There are many everyday objects in your home that probably don’t think about. For instance, you may not know that one of the strongest and most heat-resistant metals on earth sits on a side table in your living room. You certainly never thought about how a hairdryer actually works. 

Tungsten metal is the secret to many household objects you probably take for granted, from the television to the computer sitting on your desk. 

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