TECHNICAL DATA

Technical Product Information

What We Do:

Luma Wire Tech manufactures ultra-fine wires between 4 and 300 microns in diameter. Here you will find the provided comprehensive technical information about theese wires primarily manufactured using Tungsten and Molybdenum as base materials. Depending on application requirements, the wires are available either cleaned or plated and are delivered on spools containing a flexible wire length, from a few hundred to several thousand meters per spool.

For plated wires, the standard plating materials include gold and nickel. Additional technical options include alternative base materials such as Tungsten-Rhenium (97/3), Silver, Copper, and various copper alloys. On request, plating options can also include Silver, Palladium, and Platinum.

This technical information ensures our customers receive the exact wire specifications needed for demanding industries like medical technology, electronics, and aerospace.

Why Luma Customer Use Molybdenum Wire

This silvery metal has the sixth highest melting point among all metals, at 2,623°C. Its resistance to heat without expansion or softening makes it ideal for high-pressure, high-temperature applications.

Molybdenum wire is sometimes preferred over tungsten due to its lower density—about half that of tungsten—while still offering a high strength-to-weight ratio. Its light weight and high ductility make it the top choice for mesh wire in satellite antennas. This application specifically requires gold-plated molybdenum wire.

Gold-plated molybdenum is also used in electronics. Besides corrosion resistance, the gold layer improves electrical contact and solder wettability. Common uses include connectors and electronic tubes.

Why Luma Customer Use Tungsten Wire

Tungsten has the highest melting point of all metals at 3,422°C, making it ideal for demanding applications like light bulb filaments, rocket nozzles, and electrodes. Its high density (19.25 g/cm³) allows for excellent absorption of radiation and X-rays, which is why it’s often used in medical guide wires for X-ray visibility.

With the lowest vapor pressure and thermal expansion of any pure metal, tungsten excels in power electronics and extreme environments such as jet propulsion. Above 1,650°C, it also has the highest tensile strength of any metal.

Gold plating on tungsten wire improves oxidation resistance and solderability. This makes it suitable for nuclear detectors, digital printing, medical devices, and technical textiles—any field requiring high stability and heat resistance.

Do you want to discuss technical features with our Technology Team?

Materials Overview

Base materialDiameter range** [µm]PurityUTS [N/mm2]Rp 0,01* [N/mm2]Elongation [%]Surface treatment
Tungsten doped with K (W/K)4 – 300Min 99,95%W
60-65 ppm K
2600 – 35001000 – 20001,5 – 3Electroetching
Electropolishing
Electroplating
Tungsten W (Re-3%) Available Soon4 – 300Min 97% W
3% Re
2700 – 39001000 – 20001 – 2,5Electroetching
Electropolishing
Electroplating
Molybdenum ILQ doped with 0,03 % La2O310 – 300Min 99,9% Mo 0,03%  La2O32100 – 2400700 – 14001 – 2Electroetching
Electroplating
ILQ Mo – after hydrogen annealing straightening10 – 300Min 99,9% Mo 0,03% La2O31700 – 2000600 – 12001 – 2Electroetching
Electroplating
Pure Mo – annealed10 – 300Min 99,97% Mo700 – 900600 – 900≥ 10%Electroetching
Electroplating

*) Elongation automatically calculated by the software of the Tensile Strength machine.
**) Maximum plating diameter is approx. 200 μm.

Tungsten doped with potassium (W/K 60ppm)

  • High density – absorbs radiation effectively (radiation shielding – (X-rays, gamma rays, particle accelerators)
  • Tungsten offers high tensile strength, hardness and high wear resistance even at low dimensions  (cutting tools & wear-resistant coatings)
  • Moderate conductivity
  • Good stability and creep resistance
  • The highest melting point of all metals (extreme heat applications)
  • High resistance to oxidation and corrosion

Molybdenum (Mo) ILQ doped with 0,03 % La2O3

  • Excellent for high-temperature use high melting point (lower than W but still heat-resistant)
  • Molybdenum offers high tensile strength, hardness, and wear resistance while maintaining a lower density than W (Aerospace and lightweight high-temperature applications)
  • Moderate corrosion resistance good conductivity (Semiconductors & Electronics)
AbbreviationExplanation
AASAtomic Absorption Spectroscopy
AuGold
EEtched
EDSEnergy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy
KPotassium
La2O3Lanthanum (III) oxide
LOMLight Optical Microscopy
MoMolybdenum
Mo-ILQMicrodoped molybdenum alloy with a lanthanum oxide
N/mm2Newton per Square Millimeter
NiNickel
PPolished
ppmparts per million
R&DResearch and Development
ReRhenium
Rp0,01Point of plastical change (non-reversible) in wire structure under stress
RTRoom Temperature
SEMScanning Electron Microscope
UTSUltimate Tensile strength
WTungsten
W/KTungsten doped with Potassium
W/ReTungsten alloyed with Rhenium
µmmicrometers

 

Material Properties

Material Properties of W/K – 60ppm compared to W/Re

PropertyW/K – 60ppm
Thermal conductivity+
Tensile strength and hardness
High-temperature stability / Creep resistance
Recrystallization temperature
Workability/formability
Corrosion resistance
Wear resistance+
Ductility
Electron work function
Electrical resistance
≈ comparable, + higher, – lower than W/Re.  

W/Re

  • Electron work function is higher than W/K – 60ppm
  • Electrical resistance is higher than W/K – 60ppm
  • Ductility is higher than W/K – 60ppm
  • Lower thermal conductivity than W/K – 60ppm
  • Applications: e.g.: materials for electron scattering, nuclear reaction studies, neutron diffraction

Material Properties doped Molybdenum (ILQ 0.03% La2O3 Mo) compared to Pure Mo.

Property ILQ Mo
Thermal and electrical conductivity
Tensile strength+
Stability at RT
High-temperature stability / Creep resistance+
Recrystallization temperature+
Ductility after High-temperature use+
Elongation 
Elongation compared to annealed Pure Mo
≈ 
Weldability +

≈ comparable, + higher, – lower than pure Mo.

Application areas

General examples of Application areas of the wires

  • Antenna-mesh for Space Satellite systems
  • Particle accelerators: Detector Technology
  • Electronics: Semiconductors and Integrated circuit
    Testing; Connectors; Wire bonding;
  • Power Electronics /Batteries (Pseudocapacitors /Super condensators)
  • Medical: Guide Wires – radiopaque visibility; Medical wires for components used for brain stimulation and neuronal studies; Surgical robots; Stents; Catchers and Baskets
  • Military and Defense (Detectors, Sensors, Satellite systems)
  • Musical Strings
  • Catalysis: Catalyst in petroleum refining and hydrogenation
  • Critical infrastructure security: Detector Technology
  • Technical textiles / E- Textiles
  • Wire bonding technology
  • Energy: sensors and high temperature applications
  • Cutting technology tools
  • Specialty lighting (furnace components and lamp
    components)
  • Research and Development and Scientific high-precision instrumentation
  • Digital printing and 3D printing

Gold and Nickel Coatings / Surface finishing

Coatings /Surface finishing

  • Electroplating: Reel to reel
  • Coatings: Gold, Nickel in Cyanide matrix as a strike or final plating.
  • Coating thickness: Customizing according to customer demands
  • Surfaces: polished (smooth), semi-polished and etched (less smooth).
  • Different coating formulas: adhesion and porosity might be adjusted with different formulas. (The higher the coating thicknesses the better coverage and less pores).
Polished surface
Technical Product Information

Etched surface

Gold

Characteristics

  • Excellent corrosion resistance
  • Does not tarnish or oxidize
  • Easily shaped
  • Best malleability and ductility
  • Highly conductive
  • Biocompatible
  • Compact, soft, shiny and most chemically inert known metal

Pure gold soft
According to MIL standard (2007): Type III (min 99.9 % purity); Grade A (max 90 Knoop).

Gold – increased hardness
According to MIL standard (2007): Type III (min 99.9 % purity); Grade B (max 91-129 Knoop).

MaterialDimension < 50 µmDimension > 50 µm
W/K & W-Re wireCoating thickness corresponds to 3 – 5% by weight as standard0.5 µm an standard
Mo wireCoating thickness corresponds to 3 – 5% by weight as standard0.5 µm an standard

Nickel

Characteristics

  • Strike – act as a primer/pre-plating of a thin layer to add to a base material to achieve good adhesion between polished tungsten and gold.

Quality Material Analysis/Lab Testing

  • Unique procedural competences
  • Microscopy: surface appearances: determine microstructure, surface defects, morphology and elemental composition
    • Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM)
    • Energy-Dispersive X-ray Spectroscopy (EDS)
    • Light Optical Microscopy (LOM)
  • Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy (AAS) – spectro- analytical procedure for the quantitative measurement of chemical elements.
  • 3D VIEW software: surface roughness values
  • Adhesion metrologies
  • Climate chamber/Furnace – determine corrosion behavior and porosity
  • TS testing tool:: ductility, brittleness, elongation, UTS, proportionality limit
  • Straightness measurement
  • Laser sensor – determine dimension, ovality, coating thickness

Research and Development

  • Materials and Electrochemical Research.
  • Participation in customer process development projects.
  • Tailor-made process forthe customer
  • Participation in international projects and national founded projects.
  • Collaboration with Universities and Research Institutes.
  • Literature research & Co-authors of scientific articles.

Please contact us if you have questions regarding our plating features and technology processes!

W / K

FormulationExamples of Application areasPros/Cons
W – Etched – Pure gold softPrinters, Antennas, Instruments, Medical, Particle accelerators Good adhesion
W – Polished – Pure gold softParticle accelerators, Research, DetectorsLimited adhesion. Can be used in the application where there is no mechanical impact on the wire
W – Etched – Gold increased hardnessAntennas, Research, Medical, Particle accelerators, Electronics, Scientific engineeringGood adhesion,
Increased wear resistance
W – Polished – Nickel – Gold increased hardnessMedical Research, MedicalImproved adhesion, Increased wear resistance

W / Re

FormulationExamples of Application areasPros/Cons
W / Re – Etched – Pure gold softResearch institute, Particle accelerators, Nuclear Research, Detector Technology Good adhesion
W / Re – Polished – Pure gold softParticle accelerators Limited adhesion
W / Re – Polished – Nickel –Gold increased hardnessResearch, Printing, Antennas, DetectorsImproved adhesion,
Increased wear resistance
W – Etched –  Gold increased hardness DetectorsGood adhesion,
Increased wear resistance

Mo

FormulationExamples of Application areasPros/Cons
Mo – Etched – Pure gold softAntennas, Research, MicrochipsGood adhesion
Mo – Etched – Gold increased hardnessAntennas, Research, Medical, E-textiles

Good adhesion, Increased wear resistance

Mo – Etched – Nickel – Gold increased hardnessAntennasGood adhesion,
Increased wear resistance