Precious Metal AgW50
AgW50 is a powder-metallurgy silver-tungsten composite, nominally half tungsten by weight, produced by silver-infiltrating a sintered tungsten skeleton or by press-sinter-repress of mixed powders.
Reference datasheet — AgW50 is not in the instant-quote catalog. Upload your part and an engineer will quote it in this grade or suggest the closest stocked equivalent.
AgW50 tempers and conditions
AgW50 is supplied in 2 conditions, soft to hard.
Compare all 2 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Pressed, sintered and repressed/resintered | Choose pressed, sintered then repressed and resintered stock when density must exceed plain sintering: 13.6 g/cm³ and 55 % IACS, between pressed-sintered and infiltrated. | 265 | 400 | 3 | 115 HB | 55 % IACS |
Mixed-powder pressed and sintered | Use mixed-powder pressed and sintered tips for lower-cost small contacts at moderate breaking duty, accepting 13.3 g/cm³ density and 52 % IACS conductivity. | 350 | 2 | 105 HB | 52 % IACS |
Supply forms, finishes and certifications
Ways AgW50 is supplied — form, process route, surface or paperwork — without a datasheet of their own. The property values above apply.
| Option | What it is | Type |
|---|---|---|
AgW50-Ag | AgW50/Ag | Surface finish |
INFDefault | Tungsten skeleton infiltrated with silver | Supply option |
What is AgW50?
AgW50 is a powder-metallurgy silver-tungsten composite, nominally half tungsten by weight, produced by silver-infiltrating a sintered tungsten skeleton or by press-sinter-repress of mixed powders. The tungsten phase resists arc erosion and contact welding while the silver network carries current, giving 58% IACS, 230 W/m·K and service to 400 °C at a density of 13.7 g/cm³. It is supplied as pressed or infiltrated contact blanks, including silver-backed versions for attachment. The composite is brittle (3% elongation), cannot be fusion welded or plastically formed, and machines poorly (score 30); AgWC or higher-tungsten AgW grades suit heavier arc duty, AgNi lower-current switching. AgW50 has a density of 13.7 g/cm³ (0.495 lb/in³), heavier than 72% of precious metal grades. It melts at 961°C (1,762 °F). AgW50 has a yield strength of 280 MPa (40.6 ksi) and a tensile strength of 420 MPa (60.9 ksi) — stronger than 88% of precious metal grades. Elongation at break is 3% and the elastic modulus is 180 GPa (26.1 Msi).
What is AgW50 used for?
- circuit breakers
- disconnect switches
- load-break switches
Advantages
- Stiff — 180 GPa (26.1 Msi), better than 92% of precious metal grades
- High strength — 280 MPa (40.6 ksi), better than 88% of precious metal grades
- Low embodied carbon — 65 kg CO₂/kg, better than 78% of precious metal grades
Limitations
- Difficult to weld — 10/100, worse than 99% of precious metal grades
- Limited formability — 10/100, worse than 97% of precious metal grades
- Hard to polish — 55/100, worse than 97% of precious metal grades
- Limited ductility — 3%, worse than 95% of precious metal grades
- Difficult to machine — 30/100, worse than 86% of precious metal grades
AgW50 properties
Typical room-temperature values; bars are the position among precious metal grades.
Physical3
AgW50 has a density of 13.7 g/cm³ (0.495 lb/in³), heavier than 72% of precious metal grades. It melts at 961°C (1,762 °F).
Mechanical10
AgW50 has a yield strength of 280 MPa (40.6 ksi) and a tensile strength of 420 MPa (60.9 ksi) — stronger than 88% of precious metal grades. Elongation at break is 3% and the elastic modulus is 180 GPa (26.1 Msi).
Thermal5
AgW50 is rated for continuous service to 400°C (752 °F). It conducts heat at 230 W/m·K (132.9 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 72% of precious metal grades. Thermal expansion is 11 µm/m·K (6.11 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
AgW50 conducts electricity at 58 % IACS, better than 72% of precious metal grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is excellent (85/100), better than 61% of precious metal grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of AgW50 takes about 950 MJ of energy and emits 65 kg of CO₂ — less than 77% of precious metal grades. Typical recycled content is 50%.
Manufacturability5
AgW50's machinability is poor (30/100, worse than 86% of precious metal grades); weldability not recommended (10/100); formability not recommended (10/100).
Common Calculations5
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Certified mill or lot data ships with every FabDigit order on request.
Strength versus weight in the precious metal family
Yield strength against density for every precious metal grade FabDigit runs. AgW50 is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with AgW50
Is AgW50 easy to machine?
Work primarily by grinding, EDM and wire EDM. If turning or milling, use diamond or fine-grain carbide tooling at low feed rates; the tungsten phase is strongly abrasive to cutting edges.
Can AgW50 be welded?
Not fusion weldable. Braze to copper current-carrying parts with silver brazing filler, or resistance weld through a silver-clad backing layer; nickel plating before brazing is common to improve wetting.
Can AgW50 be formed, bent or molded?
Made net shape: tungsten powder is pressed and sintered to a skeleton then silver infiltrated, or mixed powders are pressed, sintered and re-pressed. The finished material has essentially no scope for plastic forming.
AgW50 chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| Agsilver phase, introduced by infiltration or powder blending | 48.5 – 51.5 | 50 |
| Other (Fe, Ni, Mo, C, O )per GB/T 8320 impurity limits | ≤ 0.5 | 0.2 |
| Wtungsten skeleton or tungsten powder | balance |
What surface finishes work on AgW50?
Finish-grind or lightly polish the working face to control contact resistance. Non-working surfaces can be silver or nickel plated to prevent tungsten oxidation; do not use strong acid chemical polishing.
How much does AgW50 cost?
AgW50 is a high-cost precious metal ($$$$), pricier than about 78% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
AgW50 — frequently asked
What is AgW50 used for?
AgW50 is typically used for circuit breakers, disconnect switches and load-break switches. In short: high arc-erosion resistance; braze-only attachment; ground or EDM to shape.
What is the yield strength of AgW50?
AgW50 has a typical yield strength of 280 MPa (40.6 ksi) and a tensile strength of 420 MPa (60.9 ksi) — stronger than 88% of precious metal grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 2 listed tempers.
Is AgW50 easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated poor (30/100, worse than 86% of precious metal grades). Work primarily by grinding, EDM and wire EDM. If turning or milling, use diamond or fine-grain carbide tooling at low feed rates; the tungsten phase is strongly abrasive to cutting edges.
Can AgW50 be welded?
Not readily — weldability is rated not recommended (10/100). Not fusion weldable. Braze to copper current-carrying parts with silver brazing filler, or resistance weld through a silver-clad backing layer; nickel plating before brazing is common to improve wetting.
What surface finishes work on AgW50?
Finish-grind or lightly polish the working face to control contact resistance. Non-working surfaces can be silver or nickel plated to prevent tungsten oxidation; do not use strong acid chemical polishing.
Can AgW50 be formed, bent or molded?
Made net shape: tungsten powder is pressed and sintered to a skeleton then silver infiltrated, or mixed powders are pressed, sintered and re-pressed. The finished material has essentially no scope for plastic forming.
What is the maximum service temperature of AgW50?
AgW50 is rated for continuous use to about 400°C (752 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
How much does AgW50 cost?
AgW50 is a high-cost precious metal ($$$$), pricier than about 78% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Sources
- ASM Handbook Vol. 2 — Electrical Contact Materials — ASM International (1990)
- Silver–Tungsten (AgW) contact material data — AMETEK / Metalor / (2023)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison; hardness values on non-Brinell scales are converted approximately for charting only. Manufacturability limits are FabDigit quote-engine defaults and may be relaxed by engineering review. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.