Refractory Metal W-5Re
ASTM B387 Grade WRe5
W-5Re is a ductile tungsten-rhenium alloy (ASTM B387 Grade WRe5) used as the positive leg of Type C and Type D thermocouples and as heater and support wire for very high temperature vacuum and furnace equipment.
Reference datasheet — W-5Re 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 AD condition
W-5Re tempers and conditions
W-5Re is supplied in 3 conditions, soft to hard. AD is the default FabDigit quotes; the values on this page are for it.
Compare all 3 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Recrystallized / fully annealed | Use when maximum thermo-EMF stability and creep resistance at 2000 °C+ matter more than room-temperature toughness; the alloy is notch-sensitive in this state. | 600 | 850 | 8 | 44 HRC | 16 % IACS |
Stress relieved | Choose when coiled or wound parts must hold shape and stay dimensionally stable without losing the worked fibre structure. | 1,250 | 1,500 | 5 | 51 HRC | 15.4 % IACS |
ADDefault As-drawn / cold-worked wire | Standard supply condition for Type C thermocouple legs and furnace heater/support wire — maximum strength, minimum handling breakage. | 1,700 | 1,900 | 3 | 56 HRC | 15 % IACS |
Supply forms, finishes and certifications
Ways W-5Re is supplied — form, process route, surface or paperwork — without a datasheet of their own. The property values above apply.
| Option | What it is | Type |
|---|---|---|
CR-Sheet | Cold-rolled sheet / foil, stress relieved | Supply form |
SW-ROD | Sintered, swaged/forged rod & bar | Supply form |
What is W-5Re?
W-5Re is a ductile tungsten-rhenium alloy (ASTM B387 Grade WRe5) used as the positive leg of Type C and Type D thermocouples and as heater and support wire for very high temperature vacuum and furnace equipment. Rhenium delays recrystallization and keeps drawn wire workable; typical values are 1700 MPa yield, 1900 MPa tensile, 3 % elongation and service to 2300 °C in vacuum or inert gas, with AD, SR, RX, cold-rolled sheet and swaged rod on file. Room-temperature formability (20) and machinability (8) are low, and air service above ~500 °C requires a protective coating. W-26Re is the matching negative leg. W-5Re has a density of 19.4 g/cm³ (0.701 lb/in³), heavier than 94% of refractory metal grades. It melts at 3,350°C (6,062 °F). W-5Re has a yield strength of 1,700 MPa (247 ksi) and a tensile strength of 1,900 MPa (276 ksi) — stronger than 97% of refractory metal grades. Elongation at break is 3% and the elastic modulus is 400 GPa (58 Msi).
What is W-5Re used for?
- thermocouple wire
- vacuum furnace heating elements
- lamp filament support wire
Advantages
- High strength — 1,700 MPa (247 ksi), better than 97% of refractory metal grades
- Stiff — 400 GPa (58 Msi), better than 96% of refractory metal grades
- High service temperature — 2,300°C (4,172 °F), better than 96% of refractory metal grades
- High electrical conductivity — 15 % IACS, better than 75% of refractory metal grades
Limitations
- Heavy — 19.4 g/cm³ (0.701 lb/in³), worse than 94% of refractory metal grades
- Difficult to machine — 8/100, worse than 92% of refractory metal grades
- Limited ductility — 3%, worse than 88% of refractory metal grades
- Low fracture toughness — 12 MPa·√m (10.9 ksi·√in), worse than 87% of refractory metal grades
- Difficult to weld — 20/100, worse than 79% of refractory metal grades
W-5Re properties
Typical room-temperature values for W-5Re-AD; bars are the position among refractory metal grades.
Physical3
W-5Re has a density of 19.4 g/cm³ (0.701 lb/in³), heavier than 94% of refractory metal grades. It melts at 3,350°C (6,062 °F).
Mechanical16
W-5Re has a yield strength of 1,700 MPa (247 ksi) and a tensile strength of 1,900 MPa (276 ksi) — stronger than 97% of refractory metal grades. Elongation at break is 3% and the elastic modulus is 400 GPa (58 Msi).
Thermal6
W-5Re is rated for continuous service to 2,300°C (4,172 °F). It conducts heat at 82 W/m·K (47.4 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 73% of refractory metal grades. Thermal expansion is 4.5 µm/m·K (2.5 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
W-5Re conducts electricity at 15 % IACS, better than 75% of refractory metal grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is good (55/100), worse than 72% of refractory metal grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of W-5Re takes about 520 MJ of energy and emits 33 kg of CO₂ — less than 68% of refractory metal grades. Typical recycled content is 25%.
Manufacturability6
W-5Re's machinability is not recommended (8/100, worse than 92% of refractory metal grades); weldability poor (20/100); formability poor (20/100).
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. W-5Re is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with W-5Re
Is W-5Re easy to machine?
Treat as a grinding/EDM material: diamond or CBN wheels, wire EDM for profiles; if turned, use rigid setups, negative-rake carbide, low speed and warm the part to avoid chipping.
Can W-5Re be welded?
Join by electron-beam, laser or resistance welding in vacuum or high-purity argon; the fusion zone recrystallizes and becomes brittle, so keep welds out of bending zones and avoid any carbon/oxygen pickup.
Can W-5Re be formed, bent or molded?
Made by powder metallurgy (press–sinter) then hot/warm swaging, rolling and drawing above ~1000 °C; cold forming at room temperature is limited to gentle bends in fine wire (bend radius ≥ 5–10 d).
W-5Re 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Resolid-solution ductilizer | 4.5 – 5.5 | 5 |
| Moresidual | ≤ 0.02 | 0.01 |
| Feresidual | ≤ 0.01 | 0 |
| Niresidual, embrittling | ≤ 0.01 | 0 |
| C | ≤ 0.01 | 0 |
| O | ≤ 0.01 | 0 |
| N | ≤ 0 | 0 |
| Wbalance, typically ≥94.9 % | balance |
What surface finishes work on W-5Re?
Supplied electrochemically cleaned or chemically etched; no anodizing possible — for air service above ~500 °C an oxidation-protective coating (silicide, Ir, or use in vacuum/inert gas) is mandatory.
Equivalent designations
Standards and trade names that resolve to Refractory Metal W-5Re in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- ASTM
- B387 Grade WRe5
- Also called
- W5Re
How much does W-5Re cost?
W-5Re 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.
W-5Re — frequently asked
What is W-5Re used for?
W-5Re is typically used for thermocouple wire, vacuum furnace heating elements and lamp filament support wire. In short: thermocouple-grade tungsten alloy; 2300 °C vacuum service; drawable to fine wire.
What is the yield strength of W-5Re?
W-5Re has a typical yield strength of 1,700 MPa (247 ksi) and a tensile strength of 1,900 MPa (276 ksi) — stronger than 97% of refractory metal grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 3 listed tempers.
Is W-5Re easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated not recommended (8/100, worse than 92% of refractory metal grades). Treat as a grinding/EDM material: diamond or CBN wheels, wire EDM for profiles; if turned, use rigid setups, negative-rake carbide, low speed and warm the part to avoid chipping.
Can W-5Re be welded?
Not readily — weldability is rated poor (20/100). Join by electron-beam, laser or resistance welding in vacuum or high-purity argon; the fusion zone recrystallizes and becomes brittle, so keep welds out of bending zones and avoid any carbon/oxygen pickup.
What surface finishes work on W-5Re?
Supplied electrochemically cleaned or chemically etched; no anodizing possible — for air service above ~500 °C an oxidation-protective coating (silicide, Ir, or use in vacuum/inert gas) is mandatory.
Can W-5Re be formed, bent or molded?
Made by powder metallurgy (press–sinter) then hot/warm swaging, rolling and drawing above ~1000 °C; cold forming at room temperature is limited to gentle bends in fine wire (bend radius ≥ 5–10 d).
What is the maximum service temperature of W-5Re?
W-5Re is rated for continuous use to about 2,300°C (4,172 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
What is the difference between W-5Re-AD and W-5Re-RX?
AD is the default condition — standard supply condition for Type C thermocouple legs and furnace heater/support wire — maximum strength, minimum handling breakage. RX: use when maximum thermo-EMF stability and creep resistance at 2000 °C+ matter more than room-temperature toughness; the alloy is notch-sensitive in this state. Yield strength is 1,700 MPa in AD versus 600 MPa in RX.
How much does W-5Re cost?
W-5Re 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
- ASM Handbook Vol. 2 — Properties and Selection: Nonferrous Alloys and Special-Purpose Materials (Refractory Metals) — ASM International (1990)
- ASTM E230/E230M — Standard Specification and Temperature-EMF Tables for Standardized Thermocouples (Type C/D W-Re) — ASTM (2017)
- Tungsten-rhenium alloy wire and sheet datasheets — Plansee / H.C. Starck / (2023)
- W-Re binary alloy phase diagram and thermophysical property compilations — ASM Alloy Phase Diagram Database (2016)
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.