Tungsten carbide's good performance at temperatures up to 800 degree Fahrenheit make it a good choice in high temperature applications. It has good corrosive resistance in many environments. Tungsten carbide has a very low rate of thermal expansion, at 2 microinches per inch per degree Fahrenheit . Steel is 6.4 and aluminum is 12 microinches per inch per degree Fahrenheit.
One of the very important features of this material is that it is electrically conductive, with a resistivity of two micro ohms per centimeter. This conductivity sets it apart from other hard stiff materials, such as ceramics and sapphire, because it allows it to be machined into complex forms by the Electrical Discharge Machining process. Cemented Tungsten Carbide can be ground and lapped using diamond grit. The material is slightly magnetic. Small diameter balls can be picked up with a magnet. Cemented Tungsten Carbide is very heavy, with a density of .54 pounds per cubic inch or 15 grams per cubic centimeter.
Tungsten cemented carbide stud is used to brush off corrosion on steel parts. Tungsten carbide use is cheap and affordable to many industry standard operations and is therefore the favored option by made tungsten carbide suppliers.