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Metals used in Valve Manufacture

K Spangenberg, Vacuum Tubes (1948). 1001
    
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Copper

The outstanding physical characteristics of copper are its high thermal and electrical conductivity. Copper can be sealed to all glasses by the Housekeeper technique. It is extensively used as an anode material in water- and air-cooled tubes.

It is moderately porous and requires a thick wall to withstand atmospheric pressure when hot. Likewise, it oxidizes readily and so cannot be allowed to assume temperatures above a few hundred degrees centigrade. It must be used in the oxygen-free form in all applications that involve heating for red heat. Even within a vacuum, copper must be protected from high temperatures, for it softens and vaporizes at relatively low temperatures. Its high ductility and low yield point make it easy to draw, form, and spin.

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