Direct answer: Tungsten is extremely strong in terms of tensile strength, among the highest of any natural metal, but it is also unusually brittle in its pure form. Its high strength makes it resistant to deformation under tension, while its brittleness means it can crack or shatter under impact or sudden stress. Key points about tungsten’s strength
- Tensile strength: Tungsten has one of the highest tensile strengths of any natural metal. Reported values vary by source and alloy, but typical unalloyed tungsten ranges around 1,300 to 1,500 megapascals (MPa) for its ultimate tensile strength, with some sources citing up to about 1,510 MPa. This places tungsten at the top end among metals for resisting being pulled apart.
- Brittleness: Pure tungsten is intrinsically brittle under standard conditions, especially when not alloyed or heat-treated. This brittleness means it can fail catastrophically under impact or rapid loading, despite its high tensile strength.
- Hardness and ductility: On the Mohs scale, tungsten is about 7.5 to 9.0, indicating high scratch resistance and hardness, but this does not translate to high ductility. Tungsten alloys or annealed forms can improve toughness while maintaining strength.
- Melting point and density: Tungsten also benefits from the highest melting point of any unalloyed metal and a very high density, which often accompanies its strong mechanical performance in high-temperature applications. These properties underpin its use in heavy, high-temperature components.
Practical implications
- Applications that exploit high strength: Tungsten is favored in hard materials, filaments, shielding, and some military/industrial components where strength and high-temperature stability are critical.
- Caution for impact or shock: Because of brittleness, tungsten can crack or shatter under sharp impact unless it is alloyed or treated to improve toughness. This is a key distinction from metals that combine both strength and ductility.
If you’d like, I can pull current, precise material-property figures (including standardized values for specific tungsten grades and common alloys) from technical datasheets and provide a concise comparison table.
