Which Elements Have the Highest Melting Point in the World?
Metals and elements with high melting points are essential in various industries, including aerospace, manufacturing, and nuclear energy. Their ability to withstand extreme temperatures without losing structural integrity makes them valuable for high-performance applications.
Let's figure out which elements have the highest melting point in the world. We also offer a comprehensive list of elements, metals, and alloys with the highest melting points.
What's the Melting Point of Metals?
The melting point of a metal is the temperature at which it transitions from a solid to a liquid. This value varies significantly depending on the atomic structure and bonding strength of the element. Generally, metals with stronger atomic bonds, such as transition and refractory metals, have higher melting points.
Metals with high melting points are used in applications where exposure to extreme heat is common. These include rocket engines, industrial furnaces, electrical components, and nuclear reactors.
The melting point of a metal is a critical factor in determining its suitability for various applications. Here's why it matters:
- Industrial Applications: High-melting-point metals are crucial in welding, foundries, and aerospace industries where materials must endure extreme heat.
- Heat Resistance: Metals with high melting points can function in environments with temperatures exceeding 1,500°C (2,732°F), such as jet engines and reactors.
- Structural Integrity: These metals maintain their shape and mechanical properties under intense heat, preventing deformation and failure.
- Corrosion and Wear Resistance: Many high-melting-point metals also resist oxidation, making them ideal for harsh environments.
Which Elements Have the Highest Melting Point?
Some elements exhibit extremely high melting points due to their strong atomic bonds and dense electron configurations. These are mainly refractory metals, a category of transition metals known for their heat resistance and durability.
Here's a compact table of elements with melting points above 1,500 °C, sorted in descending order, showing both °C and °F:
|
Element |
Melting Point (°C) |
Melting Point (°F) |
|
Tungsten (W) |
3,422 |
6,192 |
|
3,180 |
5,760 |
|
|
2,996 |
5,425 |
|
|
Osmium (Os) |
3,033 |
5,491 |
|
Hafnium (Hf) |
2,233 |
4,051 |
|
Molybdenum (Mo) |
2,623 |
4,753 |
|
Niobium (Nb) |
2,468 |
4,484 |
|
Iridium (Ir) |
2,466 |
4,471 |
|
Ruthenium (Ru) |
2,334 |
4,233 |
|
Rhodium (Rh) |
1,964 |
3,567 |
|
Chromium (Cr) |
1,907 |
3,465 |
|
Titanium (Ti) |
1,668 |
3,034 |
|
Lutetium (Lu) |
1,663 |
3,025 |
|
Thorium (Th) |
1,750 |
3,182 |
|
Platinum (Pt) |
1,768 |
3,214 |
|
Fermium (Fm) |
1,527 |
2,780 |
|
Yttrium (Y) |
1,526 |
2,779 |
|
Palladium (Pd) |
1,555 |
2,831 |
|
Thulium (Tm) |
1,545 |
2,813 |
|
Holmium (Ho) |
1,474 |
2,685 |
|
Erbium (Er) |
1,529 |
2,784 |
|
Dysprosium (Dy) |
1,412 |
2,574 |
|
Terbium (Tb) |
1,356 |
2,473 |
|
Gadolinium (Gd) |
1,313 |
2,395 |
|
Scandium (Sc) |
1,541 |
2,806 |
|
Cobalt (Co) |
1,495 |
2,723 |
|
Iron (Fe) |
1,538 |
2,800 |
|
Nickel (Ni) |
1,455 |
2,651 |
Why These Elements Have the Highest Melting Point?
Several factors contribute to the high melting points of these elements:
- Strong Atomic Bonds: The elements listed above have strong metallic or covalent bonds that require significant energy to break.
- Dense Electron Configurations: Their atomic structures are tightly packed, making it harder for heat to disrupt their solid state.
- High Energy Requirements: The amount of thermal energy needed to overcome intermolecular forces is significantly higher for these elements.
Related reading: Top 10 Materials with the Highest Melting Point in the World
A List of High Melting Point Metals
Metals with high melting points are critical in industries requiring heat resistance. The table below summarizes some of the highest-melting metals and their common uses:
|
Metal |
Melting Point (°C) |
Melting Point (°F) |
Common Applications |
|
Tungsten (W) |
3,422°C |
6,192°F |
Filaments, furnace parts, aerospace components |
|
Rhenium (Re) |
3,180°C |
5,756°F |
Jet engines, electrical components |
|
Molybdenum (Mo) |
2,623°C |
4,753°F |
Heating elements, military armor |
|
Tantalum (Ta) |
3,017°C |
5,463°F |
Medical implants, chemical processing |
|
Niobium (Nb) |
2,477°C |
4,491°F |
Nuclear reactors, superconductors |
|
Iridium (Ir) |
2,446°C |
4,435°F |
Spark plugs, crucibles |
These metals are frequently used in high-temperature applications where failure due to heat must be minimized.
A List of High Melting Point Alloys
Alloys are engineered materials composed of two or more elements designed for enhanced performance. Some high-melting-point alloys include:
|
Alloy Type |
Example |
Approx. Melting Point (°C) |
Applications |
|
Tungsten-Based Alloys |
W-Ni-Fe (Heavy Alloy) |
3,300 |
Aerospace counterweights, radiation shielding, high-temp furnace parts |
|
W-Cu |
3,300 |
Electrical contacts, heat sinks, vacuum devices |
|
|
Molybdenum-Based Alloys |
Mo-Re Alloy |
2,700 |
Jet engines, thermocouples, high-temp structural parts |
|
2,623 |
Heating elements, aerospace components, high-temp tooling |
||
|
Tantalum Alloys |
Tantalum-Tungsten |
2,996 |
Chemical reactors, high-temp valves, gas turbines |
|
Tantalum-Niobium |
2,900 |
Aerospace components, corrosion-resistant equipment |
|
|
Niobium-Based Alloys |
C-103 |
2,468 |
Rocket nozzles, jet engines, high-temp aerospace parts |
|
Nb-1Zr |
2,468 |
Superconducting magnets, aerospace applications |
|
|
Rhenium Alloys |
W-Re Alloy |
3,180 |
Gas turbine blades, high-temp thermocouples |
|
Re-Ir Alloy |
2,400–2,500 |
High-temp electronics, aerospace components |
|
|
Refractory Superalloys |
Rene 41 |
1,370–1,400 |
Aerospace turbine blades, high-temp structural parts |
|
Inconel 718 |
1,350–1,370 |
Gas turbines, jet engines, high-temp fasteners |
|
|
Chromium-Based Alloys |
310 Stainless Steel |
1,900 |
Heat exchangers, furnace linings, high-temp piping |
|
Platinum Group Alloys |
Ir-Pt Alloy |
2,440 |
High-temp crucibles, electrodes, chemical processing |
|
Pt-Rh 10% |
1,770 |
Thermocouples, high-temp sensors, chemical reactors |
These alloys are designed for durability, corrosion resistance, and extreme heat resistance.
The Melting Points of All Elements
This table provides a comprehensive view of the melting points of all the elements in both Celsius and Fahrenheit.
|
Element |
Melting Point (°C) |
Melting Point (°F) |
|
Hydrogen (H) |
-259.1 |
-434.4 |
|
Helium (He) |
-272.2 |
-458.0 |
|
Lithium (Li) |
180.5 |
356.9 |
|
Beryllium (Be) |
1287 |
2349 |
|
Boron (B) |
2076 |
3769 |
|
Carbon (C, graphite) |
~3650 (sublimes) |
~6602 |
|
Nitrogen (N) |
-210.0 |
-346.0 |
|
Oxygen (O) |
-218.8 |
-361.8 |
|
Fluorine (F) |
-219.6 |
-363.3 |
|
Neon (Ne) |
-248.6 |
-415.5 |
|
Sodium (Na) |
97.8 |
208.0 |
|
Magnesium (Mg) |
650 |
1202 |
|
660.3 |
1220.5 |
|
|
Silicon (Si) |
1414 |
2577 |
|
Phosphorus (P) |
44.2 |
111.6 |
|
Sulfur (S) |
115.2 |
239.4 |
|
Chlorine (Cl) |
-101.0 |
-149.8 |
|
Argon (Ar) |
-189.3 |
-308.7 |
|
Potassium (K) |
63.5 |
146.3 |
|
Calcium (Ca) |
842 |
1548 |
|
Scandium (Sc) |
1541 |
2806 |
|
1668 |
3034 |
|
|
Vanadium (V) |
1910 |
3470 |
|
Chromium (Cr) |
1907 |
3465 |
|
Manganese (Mn) |
1246 |
2275 |
|
Iron (Fe) |
1538 |
2800 |
|
Cobalt (Co) |
1495 |
2723 |
|
Nickel (Ni) |
1455 |
2651 |
|
Copper (Cu) |
1085 |
1985 |
|
Zinc (Zn) |
419.5 |
787.1 |
|
Gallium (Ga) |
29.8 |
85.6 |
|
Germanium (Ge) |
938.3 |
1720.9 |
|
Arsenic (As) |
817 |
1503 |
|
Selenium (Se) |
221 |
429.8 |
|
Bromine (Br) |
-7.2 |
19.0 |
|
Krypton (Kr) |
-157.4 |
-251.3 |
|
Rubidium (Rb) |
39.3 |
102.7 |
|
Strontium (Sr) |
777 |
1431 |
|
Yttrium (Y) |
1526 |
2779 |
|
Zirconium (Zr) |
1855 |
3371 |
|
Niobium (Nb) |
2468 |
4484 |
|
Molybdenum (Mo) |
2623 |
4753 |
|
Technetium (Tc) |
2157 |
3915 |
|
Ruthenium (Ru) |
2334 |
4233 |
|
Rhodium (Rh) |
1964 |
3567 |
|
Palladium (Pd) |
1554.9 |
2830.8 |
|
Silver (Ag) |
961.8 |
1763.2 |
|
Cadmium (Cd) |
321.1 |
609.9 |
|
Indium (In) |
156.6 |
313.9 |
|
Tin (Sn) |
231.9 |
449.4 |
|
Antimony (Sb) |
630.6 |
1167.1 |
|
Tellurium (Te) |
449.5 |
841.1 |
|
Iodine (I) |
113.7 |
236.7 |
|
Xenon (Xe) |
-111.8 |
-169.2 |
|
Cesium (Cs) |
28.5 |
83.3 |
|
Barium (Ba) |
727 |
1341 |
|
Lanthanum (La) |
920 |
1688 |
|
Cerium (Ce) |
798 |
1468 |
|
Praseodymium (Pr) |
931 |
1708 |
|
Neodymium (Nd) |
1010 |
1850 |
|
Promethium (Pm) |
1042 |
1908 |
|
Samarium (Sm) |
1072 |
1962 |
|
Europium (Eu) |
822 |
1512 |
|
Gadolinium (Gd) |
1313 |
2395 |
|
Terbium (Tb) |
1356 |
2473 |
|
Dysprosium (Dy) |
1412 |
2574 |
|
Holmium (Ho) |
1474 |
2685 |
|
Erbium (Er) |
1529 |
2784 |
|
Thulium (Tm) |
1545 |
2813 |
|
Ytterbium (Yb) |
819 |
1506 |
|
Lutetium (Lu) |
1663 |
3025 |
|
Hafnium (Hf) |
2233 |
4051 |
|
Tantalum (Ta) |
2996 |
5425 |
|
Tungsten (W) |
3422 |
6192 |
|
Rhenium (Re) |
3180 |
5760 |
|
Osmium (Os) |
3033 |
5491 |
|
Iridium (Ir) |
2466 |
4471 |
|
Platinum (Pt) |
1768 |
3214 |
|
Gold (Au) |
1064 |
1947 |
|
Mercury (Hg) |
-38.83 |
-37.89 |
|
Thallium (Tl) |
304 |
579.2 |
|
Lead (Pb) |
327.5 |
621.5 |
|
Bismuth (Bi) |
271.4 |
520.5 |
|
Polonium (Po) |
254 |
489.2 |
|
Astatine (At) |
302 |
575.6 |
|
Radon (Rn) |
-71 |
-95.8 |
|
Francium (Fr) |
27 |
80.6 |
|
Radium (Ra) |
700 |
1292 |
|
Actinium (Ac) |
1050 |
1922 |
|
Thorium (Th) |
1750 |
3182 |
|
Protactinium (Pa) |
1572 |
2862 |
|
Uranium (U) |
1132 |
2070 |
|
Neptunium (Np) |
640 |
1184 |
|
Plutonium (Pu) |
640 |
1184 |
|
Americium (Am) |
994 |
1821 |
|
Curium (Cm) |
1340 |
2444 |
|
Berkelium (Bk) |
986 |
1806 |
|
Californium (Cf) |
900 |
1652 |
|
Einsteinium (Es) |
860 |
1580 |
|
Fermium (Fm) |
1527 |
2780 |
|
Mendelevium (Md) |
827 |
1521 |
|
Nobelium (No) |
827 |
1521 |
|
Lawrencium (Lr) |
1627 |
2960 |
Conclusion
Elements with high melting points are essential for applications that require extreme heat resistance and structural integrity. Tungsten, rhenium, tantalum, and molybdenum are among the highest-melting elements, used in industries like aerospace, neergy, and medical fields. If you want to know more about elements having the highest melting point, you can visit Advanced Refractory Metals (ARM) for more information.
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