Perhaps most people are new to the element zirconium, but actually, it has penetrated into every aspect of our lives. So what is the element zirconium used for? Read this article to find out how zirconium is used and how it touches your life every day.
What Is the Element Zirconium Used For?
Zirconium is a metal element with the element symbol Zr. It is located in Group IV-B of the periodic table. It has an atomic number of 40, a density of 6.49 g / cm³, a melting point of 1852 ° C, and a boiling point of 4377 ° C. Zirconium is a silvery-white transition metal, which is often called a “rare metal” because it’s difficult to be extracted. Then, what is the element zirconium used for?
Zirconium silicate is an important variety of traditional zirconium products. The product uses zircon sand as a raw material, which can be obtained after grinding, calcining, and pulverizing. It is a high-quality and cheap ceramic glaze opacifier.
It is mainly used for color glazes of building ceramics, daily ceramics, and electrical porcelain produce. Zirconium silicate is also widely used in industries such as advanced refractory materials, precision casting, and emulsified glass.
It is mainly used as cosmetic additives and waterproofing agents, flame retardants, sunscreens, and surface additives for fibers and paper. It is an important raw material for the textile, paper, coating, and cosmetics industries.
The main raw materials for producing other zirconium products, such as zirconium dioxide, zirconium carbonate, zirconium sulfate, composite zirconium oxide, and zirconium hafnium, can also be used for textile, leather, rubber additives, metal surface treatment agents, coating desiccant refractories, ceramics, catalysts, fire retardants, and other products. Zircon sand is the main raw material of zirconia.
Fused zirconium dioxide is referred to as fused zirconium, which is mainly used to produce glazes and refractory materials. The use of fused zirconium is limited due to its high impurity content.
Zirconium sulfate is an important raw material for leather tanning agents, wool treatment agents, and paint surface oxidants. It can be used as a catalyst carrier, precipitating agent, and deodorant. It is also an intermediate raw material for preparing zirconium chemicals, metal zirconium, and hafnium.
What Is the Element Zirconium Used For?
Zirconium dioxide is a non-toxic, odorless white solid, and has sufficient stability to alkaline solutions and many acidic solutions, suitable for precision ceramics, electronic ceramics, optical lenses, glass additives, electrolytic zirconium bricks, ceramic pigments, enamels, artificial gems, refractory materials, grinding and polishing industries and products.
Composite zirconia, also known as semi-stable and stable zirconia, is a non-toxic, odorless white powder with stable chemical properties and controllable specific surface area. It is the basis for the manufacture of various special ceramics, advanced refractory materials, optical communication devices, and new energy materials raw material.
Zirconia structural ceramics are made of composite zirconia, including zirconia grinding media and zirconia structural parts. Zirconia structural parts mainly include zirconia special ceramic valves, fiber optic connectors, ceramic tools, watch accessories, ceramic push scissors, textile porcelain, etc.
It is mainly used as the structural material of nuclear-powered aircraft carriers, nuclear submarines, civil power reactors, and the cladding of uranium fuel elements. It is an important strategic metal.
Industrial-grade zirconium is mainly used to make chemical acid and alkali-resistant equipment, the military industry, the electronics industry, pipeline valve materials, special high-strength, high-temperature alloy materials, electric vacuum, and lighting bulb industry getters.
It is used in the firearm sponge zirconium combustion agent, as well as alloy additives and metallurgical deoxidizers, civilian flash fireworks, etc.
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