Rhenium

Rhenium, element 75 on the periodic table, belongs to the cluster of elements known as the transition group of elements. It was the last of the natural elements to be discovered, some 50 years after the introduction of the periodic table. It is a silvery white, rare, heavy, polyvalent transition metal.

Rhenium is used as an additive to tungsten- and molybdenum-based alloys to give useful properties. These alloys are used for oven filaments and x-ray machines. It is also used as an electrical contact material as it resists wear and withstands arc corrosion.

Hydrogen

Identity.

Rhenium is a chemical element with the symbol Re and atomic number 75. It is a silvery-gray, heavy metal belonging to the group of transition metals in the periodic table. Known for its rarity in Earth's crust, rhenium possesses a high melting point and excellent durability.

History.

Rhenium, a rare and valuable metal, has a fascinating history marked by both early predictions and later confirmations. Though its existence was predicted by Dmitri Mendeleev in 1869 based on gaps in his periodic table, it wasn't isolated until much later. The credit for its discovery goes to German chemists Ida Tacke-Noddack, Walter Noddack, and Otto Berg in 1925. They achieved this feat through a meticulous process of analyzing various minerals using X-ray spectroscopy.

Following its discovery, rhenium's unique properties, including its high melting point and resistance to corrosion, began to be explored. While initially challenging to extract in large quantities, advancements in processing techniques have made it more accessible for various applications.

Paracelsus

Usage.

  • Superalloys: Rhenium is added to alloys used in jet engines and gas turbines to improve their strength and heat resistance at high temperatures. These alloys are essential for the efficient operation of aircraft engines and power plants.
  • Catalysts: Rhenium is used in catalysts for various chemical reactions, including the production of high-octane gasoline and the hydrogenation of vegetable oils for use in biofuels. Catalysts help these reactions occur more efficiently and with less waste.
  • Electrical contacts and filaments: Rhenium is used in electrical contacts due to its resistance to wear and corrosion. It is also used in some high-performance filaments, such as those in mass spectrometers.
Some of the benefits of using rhenium are:
  • Rhenium is added to alloys used in jet engines and gas turbines to improve their strength and heat resistance at high temperatures. These alloys are essential for the efficient operation of aircraft engines and power plants.
  • Rhenium is used in catalysts for various chemical reactions, including the production of clean fuels and the hydrogenation of vegetable oils for use in biofuels. Catalysts help these reactions occur more efficiently and with less waste.
  • Rhenium is used in electrical contacts due to its resistance to wear and corrosion. It is also used in some high-performance filaments, such as those in scientific instruments.

Sources.

rhenium is obtained as a byproduct of refining molybdenum and copper. Discovery of rhenium is generally attributed to Noddack, Tacke, and Berg, who announced in 1925 they had detected the element in platinum ore and columbite. They also found the element in gadolinite and molybdenite.