4N rhenium powder for single-crystal turbine blade alloys, X-ray targets and catalysts. GDMS panels per lot, W-Re/Mo-Re alloy powders, allocated supply quoted per inquiry.
QUICK ANSWER
Rhenium powder (99.99% Re) is one of the rarest commodity metals on earth — annual global production around 50-60 tonnes — and one of the most valuable per kilogram. Its two defining uses are nickel superalloy additions (3-6% Re in single-crystal turbine blades, where it enables the highest operating temperatures in jet engines) and rhenium-tungsten alloys for X-ray targets and filaments, with catalyst and heater applications rounding out demand.
Rhenium's extreme scarcity — it is recovered only as a byproduct of molybdenum roasting from certain copper ores — and its unique properties create a market unlike any other: no substitutes exist for Re in single-crystal superalloys (it slows diffusion-driven creep at temperatures where other metals soften), and aero engine makers buy rhenium under strategic long-term programs. Powder form serves superalloy melt additions (fast, complete dissolution of precise Re doses), Re-W powder metallurgy for X-ray anodes and semiconductor filaments, and Re sputtering targets and catalyst precursors.
MATERIAL DATA
Lot-level controls focus on the chemistry, particle characteristics, and process values that influence manufacturing consistency and finished-part performance.
| Element | Content | Performance Role |
|---|---|---|
| Rhenium (Re) | > 99.99 wt% (4N) | Ultra-purity — trace impurities affect superalloy creep |
| Oxygen (O) | < 300 ppm | Controlled for metallurgical use |
| Molybdenum (Mo) | < 50 ppm | Separation from the Mo source stream defines purity |
| Tungsten (W) | < 30 ppm | Trace control for superalloy-grade additions |
| Other metals | < 100 ppm combined | Full GDMS panels available |
Final limits can be aligned with the agreed purchase specification.
APPLICATIONS
Aero engine superalloy production dominates rhenium demand: second- and third-generation single-crystal alloys (CMSX-4, René N5 class) contain 3-6% Re, and every high-pressure turbine blade in a modern jet engine is cast from such alloys. Superalloy melters add rhenium as powder or pellets for precise dosing and complete dissolution — a batch of single-crystal alloy is worth hundreds of thousands of dollars, and the Re addition must assay exactly. Industrial gas turbines follow the same alloy families, and demand tracks engine build rates and fleet hours.
Rhenium-tungsten products form the second pillar: W-3Re and W-25Re (and Mo-Re) wire, sheet, and targets serve X-ray tube anodes (every CT scanner anode is a Re-bearing alloy — Re prevents recrystallization cracking under thermal cycling), mass spectrometer filaments, and thermocouples measuring above 2000 °C. Platinum-rhenium reforming catalysts process a large share of the world's gasoline, and rhenium heater/emitter products serve semiconductor and scientific equipment — small tonnage, extreme value density.
REFRACTORY & RARE METAL POWDERS
CUSTOM SUPPLY
We supply 4N rhenium powder reduced from certified ammonium perrhenate, with GDMS impurity panels per lot, plus rhenium pellets for melt additions and W-Re/Mo-Re alloy powders on request. Supply is allocated and quoted per inquiry given market tightness — we advise current availability and lead time at order. Not export-controlled (rhenium is not on China's licensing lists), though its molybdenum-stream origin means we monitor adjacent policy.
We supply 4N rhenium powder reduced from certified ammonium perrhenate, with GDMS impurity panels per lot, plus rhenium pellets for melt additions and W-Re/Mo-Re alloy powders on request.
Supply is allocated and quoted per inquiry given market tightness — we advise current availability and lead time at order.
MATERIAL COMPARISON
| Comparison Point | This Product | Ruthenium |
|---|---|---|
| Role in SX alloys | Creep resistance — proven generations | 4th-gen additions, lower volumes |
| Price level | Very high | High — volatile PGM market |
| Supply | ~50-60 t/yr byproduct | ~30 t/yr PGM stream |
| Track record | Decades of engine service | Newer, limited fleets |
| Typical dosage | 3-6% | 2-4% |
| Best use | Proven SX blade alloys | Next-gen alloy development |
TECHNICAL FAQ
Need a different chemistry, particle range, or processing route? Our material team can review the requirement and supply window.
It exists at parts-per-billion in ore and is recovered only from molybdenite roasting off-gas at a handful of copper-moly operations worldwide. There is no primary rhenium mine — supply is structurally capped near 50-60 tonnes per year, and superalloy demand takes most of it.
4N (99.99%) with certified Mo, W, and oxygen — trace contaminants alter the alloy's phase stability. We supply full GDMS panels per lot.
Yes — W-Re and Mo-Re alloy powders and fabricated forms on request, with rhenium content certified. Standard grades are W-3Re, W-5Re, and W-25Re.
Sealed argon-packed containers; pricing follows the APR benchmark and is quoted per inquiry given market volatility. We advise current availability and lead time at order placement.
Rhenium itself is not licensed. Its production stream touches molybdenum roasting, but our rhenium product ships under standard terms — we monitor adjacent policy and advise if anything changes.
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