Refractory Metal Re (Pure Rhenium)
UNS R01010 · ASTM B349
Re (pure rhenium) is high-purity refractory metal, typically 99.9–99.99 %, supplied as powder, sintered, annealed, stress-relieved, cold-worked, wire-drawn, EB-melted and CVD product under R01010 / ASTM B349.
Reference datasheet — Re (Pure Rhenium) 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.
Values for the Annealed condition
Re (Pure Rhenium) tempers and conditions
Re (Pure Rhenium) is supplied in 5 conditions, soft to hard. Annealed is the default FabDigit quotes; the values on this page are for it.
Compare all 5 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
electron-beam or vacuum arc melted rod (coarse grain) | Highest purity, fully dense stock for sputtering targets, crucibles and electron-emission parts; coarse cast grain lowers strength. | 320 | 1,000 | 20 | 17 HRC | 9.2 % IACS |
AnnealedDefault fully recrystallized sheet, rod and wire (vacuum/H2 anneal ~1700–2000 °C) | Default stocked condition: maximum ductility and formability, still ~1100 MPa tensile because Re does not soften like other refractory metals. | 350 | 1,130 | 24 | 245 HB | 8.9 % IACS |
pressed and sintered P/M bar/plate (~97–99 % dense) | Semi-finished P/M billet for subsequent working; residual porosity lowers strength and ductility. | 450 | 800 | 8 | 30 HRC | 8 % IACS |
Stress relieved | Best strength/ductility compromise for springs, contacts and formed parts that must keep worked-structure strength. | 1,100 | 1,550 | 12 | 39 HRC | 8.7 % IACS |
Cold worked | Pick for maximum strength and stiffness in thin sheet, foil and electrical contacts where no high-temperature exposure occurs. | 1,900 | 2,100 | 3 | 62 HRC | 8.5 % IACS |
Supply forms, finishes and certifications
Ways Re (Pure Rhenium) is supplied — form, process route, surface or paperwork — without a datasheet of their own. The property values above apply.
| Option | What it is | Type |
|---|---|---|
Wire-Drawn | Drawn wire | Supply form |
POWDER | 99.9/99.99 % Re metal powder | Printing process |
CVD | CVD Re | Coating |
What is Re (Pure Rhenium)?
Re (pure rhenium) is high-purity refractory metal, typically 99.9–99.99 %, supplied as powder, sintered, annealed, stress-relieved, cold-worked, wire-drawn, EB-melted and CVD product under R01010 / ASTM B349. Engineers choose it for a 463 GPa elastic modulus, 1130 MPa tensile strength with 24 % elongation, 350 MPa yield, 245 HB hardness, retained ductility at low temperature and resistance to thermal shock, with service to 2200 °C in vacuum or inert gas. Limits are cost and supply, 8.9 % IACS electrical and 48 W/m·K thermal conductivity, very poor machinability (12) and rapid oxidation in air above ~600 °C; W-Re alloys are the usual lower-cost substitute. Re (Pure Rhenium) has a density of 21.02 g/cm³ (0.759 lb/in³), heavier than 99% of refractory metal grades. It melts at 3,186°C (5,767 °F). Re (Pure Rhenium) has a yield strength of 350 MPa (50.8 ksi) and a tensile strength of 1,130 MPa (164 ksi) — stronger than 57% of refractory metal grades. Elongation at break is 24% and the elastic modulus is 463 GPa (67.2 Msi).
What is Re (Pure Rhenium) used for?
- thermocouple wire
- rocket nozzle liners
- vacuum tube filaments
- electrical contacts
- catalyst carrier alloying
Advantages
- Stiff — 463 GPa (67.2 Msi), better than 99% of refractory metal grades
- High service temperature — 2,200°C (3,992 °F), better than 94% of refractory metal grades
Limitations
- Heavy — 21.02 g/cm³ (0.759 lb/in³), worse than 99% of refractory metal grades
- Difficult to machine — 12/100, worse than 86% of refractory metal grades
Re (Pure Rhenium) properties
Typical room-temperature values for Re (Pure Rhenium)-Annealed; bars are the position among refractory metal grades.
Physical3
Re (Pure Rhenium) has a density of 21.02 g/cm³ (0.759 lb/in³), heavier than 99% of refractory metal grades. It melts at 3,186°C (5,767 °F).
Mechanical10
Re (Pure Rhenium) has a yield strength of 350 MPa (50.8 ksi) and a tensile strength of 1,130 MPa (164 ksi) — stronger than 57% of refractory metal grades. Elongation at break is 24% and the elastic modulus is 463 GPa (67.2 Msi).
Thermal6
Re (Pure Rhenium) is rated for continuous service to 2,200°C (3,992 °F). It conducts heat at 48 W/m·K (27.7 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 61% of refractory metal grades. Thermal expansion is 6.2 µm/m·K (3.44 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
Re (Pure Rhenium) conducts electricity at 8.9 % IACS, better than 60% of refractory metal grades.
Chemical & Environmental2
Corrosion resistance is very good (72/100), worse than 58% of refractory metal grades.
Sustainability3
Producing a kilogram of Re (Pure Rhenium) takes about 450 MJ of energy and emits 30 kg of CO₂ — less than 74% of refractory metal grades. Typical recycled content is 25%.
Manufacturability8
Re (Pure Rhenium)'s machinability is not recommended (12/100, worse than 86% of refractory metal grades); weldability poor (30/100); formability good (55/100).
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 refractory metal family
Yield strength against density for every refractory metal grade FabDigit runs. Re (Pure Rhenium) is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with Re (Pure Rhenium)
Is Re (Pure Rhenium) easy to machine?
Very difficult — extreme work hardening and galling; use EDM, grinding, or sharp carbide/CBN tools at low speed with heavy rigid setups and flood coolant, and stress-relieve between operations.
Can Re (Pure Rhenium) be welded?
Electron-beam, laser and GTAW in high-purity inert gas give sound joints, but the fusion/HAZ recrystallizes and loses worked strength; avoid contamination by C, O and N.
Can Re (Pure Rhenium) be formed, bent or molded?
Cold rolls and draws well thanks to its high ductility, but the work-hardening rate is the highest of the refractory metals — take small reductions (10–20 %) with vacuum/H2 intermediate anneals at 1700–2000 °C; parts are usually made by P/M, EB melting or CVD rather than casting.
Re (Pure Rhenium) 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Moprincipal residual from Mo-roaster flue-dust source | ≤ 0.02 | 0.01 |
| W | ≤ 0.02 | 0 |
| Fe | ≤ 0.01 | 0 |
| Ni | ≤ 0.01 | 0 |
| Cu | ≤ 0 | 5×10⁻⁴ |
| Ca | ≤ 0.01 | 0 |
| Kresidual from ammonium/potassium perrhenate processing | ≤ 0.01 | 0 |
| C | ≤ 0.01 | 0 |
| Opowder; much lower after vacuum sintering or EB melting | ≤ 0.05 | 0.02 |
| Recommercial purity grades 99.9 % (3N) to 99.99 % (4N), metals basis | ≥ 99.9 (balance) |
What surface finishes work on Re (Pure Rhenium)?
Not anodizable; use electropolishing or fine mechanical polishing, and apply Ir, Pt or silicide coatings when service above ~600 °C in oxidizing gas is required.
Equivalent designations
Standards and trade names that resolve to Refractory Metal Re (Pure Rhenium) in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- UNS
- R01010
- ASTM
- B349
How much does Re (Pure Rhenium) cost?
Re (Pure Rhenium) is a high-cost refractory 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.
Re (Pure Rhenium) — frequently asked
What is Re (Pure Rhenium) used for?
Re (Pure Rhenium) is typically used for thermocouple wire, rocket nozzle liners, vacuum tube filaments, electrical contacts and catalyst carrier alloying. In short: highest work-hardening refractory metal; ductile at cryogenic temperature; thermal-shock resistant to 2200 °C.
What is the yield strength of Re (Pure Rhenium)?
Re (Pure Rhenium) has a typical yield strength of 350 MPa (50.8 ksi) and a tensile strength of 1,130 MPa (164 ksi) — stronger than 57% of refractory metal grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 5 listed tempers.
Is Re (Pure Rhenium) easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated not recommended (12/100, worse than 86% of refractory metal grades). Very difficult — extreme work hardening and galling; use EDM, grinding, or sharp carbide/CBN tools at low speed with heavy rigid setups and flood coolant, and stress-relieve between operations.
Can Re (Pure Rhenium) be welded?
Not readily — weldability is rated poor (30/100). Electron-beam, laser and GTAW in high-purity inert gas give sound joints, but the fusion/HAZ recrystallizes and loses worked strength; avoid contamination by C, O and N.
What surface finishes work on Re (Pure Rhenium)?
Not anodizable; use electropolishing or fine mechanical polishing, and apply Ir, Pt or silicide coatings when service above ~600 °C in oxidizing gas is required.
Can Re (Pure Rhenium) be formed, bent or molded?
Cold rolls and draws well thanks to its high ductility, but the work-hardening rate is the highest of the refractory metals — take small reductions (10–20 %) with vacuum/H2 intermediate anneals at 1700–2000 °C; parts are usually made by P/M, EB melting or CVD rather than casting.
What is the maximum service temperature of Re (Pure Rhenium)?
Re (Pure Rhenium) is rated for continuous use to about 2,200°C (3,992 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
What is the difference between Re (Pure Rhenium) Annealed and Re (Pure Rhenium)-CW?
Annealed is the default condition — default stocked condition: maximum ductility and formability, still ~1100 MPa tensile because Re does not soften like other refractory metals. CW: pick for maximum strength and stiffness in thin sheet, foil and electrical contacts where no high-temperature exposure occurs. Yield strength is 350 MPa in Annealed versus 1,900 MPa in CW.
How much does Re (Pure Rhenium) cost?
Re (Pure Rhenium) is a high-cost refractory 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
- ASTM B349/B349M — Rhenium powder and pellets — ASTM International (2020)
- ASM Handbook Vol. 2 — Properties and Selection: Nonferrous Alloys and Special-Purpose Materials (Refractory Metals) — ASM International (1990)
- CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics — Properties of the Elements — CRC Press (2022)
- Rhenium sheet, rod, wire and powder property data — Rhenium Alloys Inc. / Plansee (2023)
- CVD rhenium and Ir/Re thruster liner properties — Ultramet (2022)
- Life Cycle Assessment of Metals (cumulative energy demand & GWP) — Nuss & Eckelman, PLoS ONE (2014)
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.