What are the fields of use of niobium rods?

1. Aerospace:

• Manufacture of engine parts, such as structural materials of aircraft engines, rocket nozzles, combustion chambers, combustion ducts, turbo pumps, etc. Because niobium has a high melting point, good oxidation resistance and strength, it can maintain stable performance in extreme environments of high temperature and high pressure, which is crucial to improving the performance and reliability of the engine.

• Used to manufacture heat-resistant parts of aircraft and spacecraft, it can help aircraft withstand the scouring of high-temperature airflow during high-speed flight and ensure the safe operation of aircraft.

2. Atomic energy industry: Niobium has a small neutron capture cross-section, high thermal conductivity and strength. It can be used as a nuclear fuel cladding material, a nuclear fuel alloy additive and a heat exchanger structural material in atomic reactors.

3. Iron and steel industry: About 75% of niobium is used in the steel industry. Adding niobium to steel can refine the steel grains and improve the strength and toughness of the steel. Niobium-containing steel is widely used in automobiles, bridges, oil pipelines, natural gas pipelines, oil drilling, offshore oil drilling platforms, railway tracks, and steel bars for civil engineering and construction.

4. Superconducting materials: Nb-Ti alloy is the most widely used and largest-volume superconducting material today. It has important applications in high-energy physics and is the preferred practical superconducting material for high-energy particle accelerators such as the Large Hadron Collider and the Heavy Ion Collider; Nb₃Sn is the practical superconducting material second only to Nb-Ti. Niobium rods are an important raw material for preparing superconducting materials.

5. Electronics industry: It can be used to manufacture electronic components such as capacitors and surface acoustic wave devices. Niobium has good conductivity and stability, which can meet the requirements of electronic components for material properties.

6. Chemical industry: Niobium and niobium alloy rods have good corrosion resistance and can be used to make various corrosion-resistant parts under nitric acid, hydrochloric acid or sulfuric acid corrosion conditions, such as digesters, heaters, coolers, various utensils and devices.

7. Optical field: Niobium can increase the refractive index of glass, so that optical correction glasses can be made with lighter and thinner lenses.

8. Jewelry field: Niobium has a unique metallic luster and good processing performance, and can be used to make various shiny colored jewelry.