Process of making a non-sag tungsten wire for electric lamps

• Main Authors: ZIEMER; BURKHARD, SALMEN; MICHAEL, FUCHS; JOACHIM, LUNK; HANS-JOACHIM, FAIT; MARTIN, GAHN; ALFRED-GEORG
• Format: Patent
• Language: English
• Published: 28.07.1998
• Edition: 6
• Subjects: BASIC ELECTRIC ELEMENTS; CASTING; CHEMISTRY; COMPOUNDS CONTAINING METALS NOT COVERED BY SUBCLASSESC01D OR C01F; ELECTRIC INCANDESCENT LAMPS; ELECTRICITY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; INDEXING SCHEME RELATING TO STRUCTURAL AND PHYSICAL ASPECTS OFSOLID INORGANIC COMPOUNDS; INORGANIC CHEMISTRY; MAKING METALLIC POWDER; MANUFACTURE OF ARTICLES FROM METALLIC POWDER; METALLURGY; PERFORMING OPERATIONS; POWDER METALLURGY; PRETREATMENT OF RAW MATERIALS; PRODUCTION AND REFINING OF METALS; TRANSPORTING; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS; WORKING METALLIC POWDER

To dope ammonium paratungstate with potassium, essentially devoid of silicon and ammonium, an aqueous potassium containing solution, preferably potassium hydroxide is added to an aqueous solution of ammonium paratungstate (APW), in a mol relationship of potassium to ammonium of between 0.1 and 10. A doped ammonium potassium paratungstate (AKPW) is obtained. This ammonium potassium paratungstate is then converted to tungsten blue oxide, which is reduced, preferably in a hydrogen containing atmosphere and a tungsten powder is then obtained which will be doped with 40 to 120 ppm, preferably about 90 ppm of potassium. Lamps equipped with tungsten wire filaments drawn from so doped tungsten have lifetimes at least 10% more than lamps with conventional tungsten filaments.