摘要 |
<p>The present invention provides a tungsten-based duplex composite member, e.g., wire or rod, which combines the emissive, nonsag, or other desirable qualities of an inner tungsten-based core material with a different combination of properties, for example, resistance to attack, by the presence of a different tungsten-based material as an outer sheath or shell surrounding the core material. In one embodiment of the present invention, an electrode is formed from a duplex composite member, composed of a thoriated tungsten core (W - ThO2) and a thin rhenium (Re) shell. Other embodiments of duplex composite members are provided by thoriated tungsten discharge electrodes in which it is desirable to have two different concentrations of thoria (ThO2) in the element, a first concentration in the core of the duplex composite member and a second concentration in the shell or surface of the member.</p> |