| Zirconium [Zr] (CAS-ID: 7440-67-7) | |
| An: 40 N: 51 Am: 91.224 (2) | |
| Group No: 4 | |
| Block: d-block Period: 5 | |
| State: solid at 298 K | |
| Colour: silvery white Classification: Metallic | |
| Boiling Point: 4682K (4409'C) | |
| Melting Point: 2125K (1852'C) | |
| Density: 6.52g/cm3 | |
| Availability: Zirconium is available in many forms including foil, nanosized activated powder, powder, rod, sponge, bar, sheet, and wire. | |
 Discovery Information |
| Who: Martin Klaproth |
| When: 1789 |
| Where: Germany |
| Name Origin |
| From the mineral zircon |
| Sources |
| Zirconium is never found in nature as a free metal. Found in many minerals such as zircon and baddeleyite. |
| Uses |
| Used in alloys such as zircaloy which is used in nuclear applications since it does not readily absorb neutrons. Also used in catalytic converters, percussion caps and furnace bricks. Baddeleyite is used in lab crucibles. Zirconium nitride has been used more recently as an alternative to titanium nitride for coating drill bits. Both coatings are supposed to keep the bit sharper and cooler during cutting. |
| Notes |
| This element has been detected in the sun and meteorites. Lunar rock samples brought back from several Apollo program missions to the moon have a very high zirconium oxide content relative to terrestrial rocks. |
| Compounds containing zirconium are not noted for toxicity. The metal dust can ignite in air and should be regarded as a major fire and explosion hazard. |
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