Table of Contents
What is Hafnium? ; Hafnium Properties ;
Uses of Hafnium
Hafnium is a chemical element with symbol Hf and atomic number 72. A lustrous, silvery gray, transition metal, hafnium is very similar to zirconium in its physical and chemical properties and is often found in the same mineral ores. The most important use of hafnium is in alloys with titanium and zirconium in high-temperature engineering applications as a component of turbine blades, heat exchangers, and other components in gas turbines and jet engines.
Hafnium has a melting point of 2,233 °C (4,033 °F), a boiling point of 6,940 °C (12,600 °F), and a density of 14.79 g/cm3. It occurs naturally in the mineral zircon, which is the most common source of hafnium. Zirconium is found in many other minerals such as xenotime, gadolinite, and monazite, and is also the most common component of the mineral zirconium silicate.
Hafnium Properties
Atomic number (Z) 72
Atomic mass (A) 178.49
Melting point (K) 2334
Boiling point (K) 6940
Density (g/cm3) 14.79
Electron configuration [Xe] 4f14 5d3 6
Physical Properties of Hafnium
Hafnium has a melting point of 2,233 degrees Celsius and a boiling point of 4,564 degrees Celsius. It is a gray, ductile metal that is resistant to corrosion in air. Hafnium has a density of 13.3 grams per cubic centimeter and a Young’s modulus of 108 gigapascals. It is a ferromagnetic metal with a saturation magnetization of 2.6 tesla. Hafnium has a thermal conductivity of 156 watts per meter-kelvin and a coefficient of thermal expansion of 12.6 micrometers per Kelvin.
Chemical Properties of Hafnium
Hafnium is a silvery-white metal that is very resistant to corrosion. It has a high melting point and a low boiling point. Hafnium is not very reactive, but it does form a few compounds, including hafnium oxide and hafnium chloride.
Occurrence of Hafnium
in nature
Hafnium is a chemical element with the symbol Hf and atomic number 72. It is a silvery-white, hard, ductile metal that is corrosion-resistant and occurs in nature as a compound of hafnium and oxygen. Hafnium is found in the mineral zirconium silicate and the rare earth mineral huttonite. Hafnium is used in alloys with other metals, including titanium, vanadium, and zirconium, to form high-strength, low-weight materials. Hafnium is also used in nuclear reactors as a control rod material.
Applications of Hafnium
Hafnium is used as a component in alloys for high-temperature applications, such as in gas turbines and jet engines. Hafnium oxide is also used in the production of electronic ceramics.
Production of Hafnium
Hafnium is not found in nature as a free element, but it is found in small amounts in the mineral zirconium silicate. Hafnium can be extracted from zirconium silicate by various methods, including heating the mineral to a very high temperature in the presence of a carbon-containing gas.
