Zirconium

Zirconium
Zirconium block

Zirconium (Zr) is a chemical element of the periodic table, located in the group 4 and the period 5, and is having the atomic number 40. It is a strong, ductile and malleable, lustrous, grey-white transition metal, whose name comes from the Arabic word “zargun”, which means gold colored.

On periodic table

group 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18
period
1 1
H
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Hydrogen
2
He
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Helium
2 3
Li
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Lithium
4
Be
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Beryllium
5
B
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Boron
6
C
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Carbon
7
N
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Nitrogen
8
O
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Oxygen
9
F
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Fluorine
10
Ne
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Neon
3 11
Na
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Sodium
12
Mg
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Magnesium
13
Al
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Aluminium
14
Si
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Silicon
15
P
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Phosphorus
16
S
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Sulfur
17
Cl
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Chlorine
18
Ar
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Argon
4 19
K
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Potassium
20
Ca
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Calcium
21
Sc
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Scandium
22
Ti
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Titanium
23
V
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Vanadium
24
Cr
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Chromium
25
Mn
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Manganese
26
Fe
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Iron
27
Co
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Cobalt
28
Ni
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Nickel
29
Cu
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Copper
30
Zn
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Zinc
31
Ga
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Gallium
32
Ge
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Germanium
33
As
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Arsenic
34
Se
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Selenium
35
Br
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Bromine
36
Kr
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Krypton
5 37
Rb
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Rubidium
38
Sr
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Strontium
39
Y
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Yttrium
40
Zr
Zirconium
41
Nb
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Niobium
42
Mo
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Molybdenum
43
Tc
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Technetium
44
Ru
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Ruthenium
45
Rh
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Rhodium
46
Pd
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Palladium
47
Ag
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Silver
48
Cd
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Cadmium
49
In
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Indium
50
Sn
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Tin
51
Sb
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Antimony
52
Te
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Tellurium
53
I
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Iodine
54
Xe
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Xenon
6 55
Cs
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Caesium
56
Ba
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Barium
72
Hf
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Hafnium
73
Ta
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Tantalum
74
W
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Tungsten
75
Re
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Rhenium
76
Os
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Osmium
77
Ir
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Iridium
78
Pt
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Platinum
79
Au
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Gold
80
Hg
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Mercury
81
Tl
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Thallium
82
Pb
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Lead
83
Bi
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Bismuth
84
Po
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Polonium
85
At
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Astatine
86
Rn
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Radon
7 87
Fr
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Francium
88
Ra
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Radium
104
Rf
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Rutherfordium
105
Db
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Dubnium
106
Sg
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Seaborgium
107
Bh
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Bohrium
108
Hs
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Hassium
109
Mt
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Meitnerium
110
Ds
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Darmstadtium
111
Rg
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Roentgenium
112
Cn
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Copernicium
113
Nh
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Nihonium
114
Fl
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Flerovium
115
Mc
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Moscovium
116
Lv
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Livermorium
117
Ts
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Tennessine
118
Og
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Oganesson
57
La
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Lanthanum
58
Ce
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Cerium
59
Pr
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Praseodymium
60
Nd
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Neodymium
61
Pm
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Promethium
62
Sm
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Samarium
63
Eu
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Europium
64
Gd
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Gadolinium
65
Tb
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Terbium
66
Dy
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Dysprosium
67
Ho
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Holmium
68
Er
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Erbium
69
Tm
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Thulium
70
Yb
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Ytterbium
71
Lu
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Lutetium
89
Ac
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Actinium
90
Th
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Thorium
91
Pa
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Protactinium
92
U
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Uranium
93
Np
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Neptunium
94
Pu
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Plutonium
95
Am
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Americium
96
Cm
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Curium
97
Bk
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Berkelium
98
Cf
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Californium
99
Es
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Einsteinium
100
Fm
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Fermium
101
Md
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Mendelevium
102
No
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Nobelium
103
Lr
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Lawrencium
– d block

Zirconium is a d-block element, situated in the fourth column and the fifth row of the periodic table, denoted by the atomic number 40 and chemical symbol Zr.

Element information

Zirconium Element
Zirconium appearance | source: Wikipedia
Zirconium Periodic Table
Zirconium location on periodic table
Zirconium is found in the fourth column of the periodic table, next to the yttrium element.
Origin of name Arabic word “zargun” (which means gold colored)
Symbol Zr
Atomic number (Z) 40
Atomic mass 91.224 u
Block d-block
Group 4
Period 5
Classification Transition metal
Atomic radius 160 pm
Covalent radius 175±7 pm
Melting point 1852 ℃, 3365 ℉, 2125 K
Boiling point 4377 ℃, 7911 ℉, 4650 K
Electron configuration [Kr] 4d2 5s2
Learn how to write: Zirconium electron configuration
Electrons per shell 2, 8, 18, 10, 2
Learn how to draw: Zirconium Bohr model
Crystal structure Hexagonal close-packed (hcp)
Phase at r.t Solid
Density near r.t 6.52 g/cm3
Main isotopes Zirconium-90, Zirconium-91, Zirconium-92, Zirconium-94
Natural occurrence Primordial
Oxidation state +4
Electronegativity (Pauling scale) 1.33
Protons
Neutrons
Electrons
40
51
40
Learn how to find: Zirconium protons neutrons electrons
CAS number 7440-67-7
Discovered by Martin Heinrich Klaproth in 1789

History

Martin Heinrich Klaproth | source: Wikipedia

Zirconium was discovered by the German chemist Martin Heinrich Klaproth in 1789, while he was analyzing the mineral zircon from Sri Lanka. Initially, Klaproth mistook zirconium oxide for the metal itself, and it was only in 1824 that the Swedish chemist Jöns Jacob Berzelius successfully isolated pure zirconium by reducing potassium zirconium fluoride with potassium metal.

In the following years, zirconium compounds were used for various applications, including as a material for gas mantles in the late 19th century. The metal itself was first produced in pure form by the American chemist William Justin Kroll in 1940, using the Kroll process, which involves the reduction of zirconium tetrachloride with magnesium at high temperatures.

Occurrence and production

Zirconium is a rare metal that occurs naturally in a number of minerals, the most important of which is zircon. Zirconium is also found in other minerals such as baddeleyite and zirconolite.

The metal is produced by the reduction of zirconium tetrachloride (ZrCl4) or zirconium tetrachloride oxide (ZrOCl2) with magnesium or sodium in a high-temperature reaction.

The Kroll process is the most widely used method for producing zirconium. In this process, ZrCl4 is reduced with magnesium to form zirconium sponge, which can be further processed into ingots, billets, and other shapes.

The majority of zirconium production takes place in Australia, South Africa, and the United States. In 2020, global production of zirconium minerals totaled approximately 1.5 million metric tons.

Properties

Zirconium is a silver-gray transition metal that belongs to the group 4 of the periodic table.

It has a density of 6.52 g/cm3 and a melting point of 1852 ℃.

Zirconium has a very high resistance to corrosion and is often used as a protective coating for other metals.

It is a relatively abundant element, with the main source being the mineral zircon.

Zirconium also has several isotopes, with the most common one being Zr-90.

It is also a good thermal conductor and has excellent mechanical properties, making it useful in many industrial applications.

Zirconium is a paramagnetic material, meaning that it becomes magnetic when exposed to a magnetic field, but it loses its magnetism when the field is removed.

Zirconium has a very low neutron absorption cross-section, making it useful in nuclear reactors for cladding fuel rods and other components.

Applications

Zirconium is used as an alloying agent in the production of various metals such as steel, aluminum, and titanium.

Zirconium is used in the production of fuel rods for nuclear reactors due to its high resistance to corrosion and radiation damage.

Zirconium is used in the production of ceramics and glass due to its high melting point and chemical resistance.

Zirconium oxide, also known as zirconia, is used in the production of dental implants and artificial hip joints due to its biocompatibility and strength.

Zirconium is used in the production of fireworks and flares due to its ability to produce bright white sparks when burned.

Zirconium compounds are used in various industrial applications such as catalysis, dyeing, and corrosion inhibition.

Interesting facts

Zirconium is named after the mineral zircon, which was first discovered in Sri Lanka in the late 18th century.

It is a lustrous, grayish-white metal that is highly resistant to corrosion and heat.

Zirconium is often used in nuclear power plants due to its low neutron absorption cross-section and resistance to corrosion in water.

The element is also used in the production of alloys for various industries, including aerospace and defense.

Zirconium is highly refractory, meaning it has a high melting point, and is often used as a lining for high-temperature furnaces and crucibles.

One of the interesting properties of zirconium is its ability to form a protective oxide layer when exposed to air or water, which helps to prevent further corrosion.

Zirconium is also used in jewelry as a substitute for diamond, and is often used as a gemstone in its own right.

The largest producers of zirconium are Australia, South Africa, and China.

Related

More elements

s block
p block
d block
f block
Barium Aluminium Bohrium Actinium
Beryllium Antimony Cadmium Americium
Caesium Argon Chromium Berkelium
Calcium Arsenic Cobalt Californium
Francium Astatine Copernicium Cerium
Helium Bismuth Copper Curium
Hydrogen Boron Darmstadtium Dysprosium
Lithium Bromine Dubnium Einsteinium
Magnesium Carbon Gold Erbium
Potassium Chlorine Hafnium Europium
Radium Flerovium Hassium Fermium
Rubidium Fluorine Iridium Gadolinium
Sodium Gallium Iron Holmium
Strontium Germanium Lawrencium Lanthanum
Indium Lutetium Mendelevium
Iodine Manganese Neodymium
Krypton Meitnerium Neptunium
Lead Mercury Nobelium
Livermorium Molybdenum Plutonium
Moscovium Nickel Praseodymium
Neon Niobium Promethium
Nihonium Osmium Protactinium
Nitrogen Palladium Samarium
Oganesson Platinum Terbium
Oxygen Rhenium Thorium
Phosphorus Rhodium Thulium
Polonium Roentgenium Uranium
Radon Ruthenium Ytterbium
Selenium Rutherfordium
Silicon Scandium
Sulfur Seaborgium
Tellurium Silver
Tennessine Tantalum
Thallium Technetium
Tin Titanium
Xenon Tungsten
Vanadium
Yttrium
Zinc
Zirconium

External links

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Learnool.com was founded by Deep Rana, who is a mechanical engineer by profession and a blogger by passion. He has a good conceptual knowledge on different educational topics and he provides the same on this website. He loves to learn something new everyday and believes that the best utilization of free time is developing a new skill.

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