| Hafnium |
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| Atomic Number - | 72 | Melting Point (°C,°F) - | 2233 °C, 4051 °F |
| Atomic Symbol - | Hf | Boiling Point (°C,°F) - | 4603 °C, 8317 °F |
| Atomic Mass - | 178.5 | Electron Configuration - | [Xe] 4f14 5d2 6s2 |
| Group - | 4 | Electrons Per Shell - | 2, 8, 18, 32, 10, 2 |
| Period - | 6 | Protons - | 72 |
| Series - | Transition Metals | Neutrons - | 106 |
| Block - | f-block | | |
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Element Description - Hafnium is a chemical element in the periodic table that has the symbol Hf and atomic number 72. A lustrous, silvery gray tetravalent transition metal, hafnium resembles zirconium chemically and is found in zirconium minerals. Hafnium is used in tungsten alloys in filaments and electrodes and also acts as a neutron absorber in nuclear control rods. |
Element Characteristics - This is a shiny silvery, ductile metal that is corrosion resistant and chemically similar to zirconium. The properties of hafnium are markedly affected by zirconium impurities and these two elements are amongst the most difficult to separate. The only notable difference between them is their density (zirconium is about half as dense as hafnium).
Hafnium carbide is the most refractory binary compound known and hafnium nitride is the most refractory of all known metal nitrides with a melting point of 3310 °C. This metal is resistant to concentrated alkalis, but halogens react with it to form hafnium tetrahalides. At higher temperatures hafnium reacts with oxygen, nitrogen, carbon, boron, sulfur, and silicon.
The nuclear isomer Hf-178-2m is also a source of energetic gamma rays, and is being studied as a possible power source for gamma ray lasers. |
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