Today we will look at the most durable metals in the world and discuss their properties. And opens the "strength rating" titanium.

Not the most durable?

The name of the metal, presumably, comes from the name ancient Greek hero Titan. Therefore, we associate this metal with invincibility. Titanium is considered by many to be the strongest metal in the world. However, in reality this is far from the case.

Pure titanium was first obtained in 1925. The new material was immediately noticed due to a number of properties. Titanium began to be very actively used in the industrial sector.

Today, titanium is in 10th place among natural metals in terms of prevalence. AT earth's crust it contains about 700 million tons. That is, the current raw materials will last another 150 years.

Titanium has excellent properties. It is a lightweight and durable metal, resistant to corrosion. It is easily heat-treatable and has a wide range of applications. It interacts with other elements of the periodic table only when heated. In nature, it is found in rutile and ilmenite ores. Pure titanium is obtained by sintering ore with chlorine.

It is able to withstand huge loads. The metal has high strength and resistance shock action. It is used in the manufacture Vehicle, missiles and even submarines. Titanium withstands the force of pressure even at great depths.

It is also popular in the medical industry. Prostheses based on it do not interact with body tissues and are not subject to corrosion. But over the years, it begins to wear out, which makes it necessary to replace the prosthesis with a new one.

New developments

In 2016, scientists found a way to improve the properties of titanium and make it even more durable. The main goal of research is to find a more resistant material, while being compatible with body tissues. And then they remembered the gold, which long years used in prosthetics.

An alloy of titanium and gold, after several attempts to find the ideal ratio of the components, proved to be incredibly durable. 4 times stronger than other metals used today for prosthetics.

Tantalum

One of the most durable metals. Named after the ancient Greek god Tantalus, who angered Zeus and was cast into hell. It has a silvery-white color with a bluish tint. It is a characteristic element of granitic and alkaline magma. It is extracted from the mineral coltan, the largest deposits of which are located in Brazil and Africa.

It was opened back in 1802. Then it was considered a kind of Colombia, but later it was established that these are two different metal similar in properties. Only after 100 years was it possible to obtain pure tantalum. Its cost today is quite high - $ 150 per 1 kg of metal.

Tantalum is a refractory metal with a fairly high density. From a chemical point of view, it is stable, as it does not dissolve in dilute acids. In powder form, tantalum burns well in air. It is used for the manufacture of electrolytic capacitors, heaters in vacuum furnaces. Tantalum capacitors increase the life of electronic systems up to 10-12 years. It is noteworthy that even jewelers have found application for it - they replace platinum.

The strength test of metals showed that the alloy of tantalum and tungsten has almost one hundred percent strength.

Osmium is the most...

Osmium is another incredibly strong metal. It is also included in the list of the rarest and most expensive. In the composition of the earth's crust, it is present in scanty quantities. It belongs to scattered ones, that is, it does not have its own deposits. Therefore, its extraction is accompanied by enormous difficulties.

Osmium belongs to the group of platinum metals. Its cost is about 10,000 dollars per 1 gram. For the price, it is second only to artificial California. It is made up of several isotopes that are incredibly difficult to separate. The most popular isotope is osmium-187. Its price for 1 gram reaches 200,000 dollars!

Osmium is the champion in density among metals. In addition, it is a high strength metal. Alloys, which contain osmium, acquire resistance to corrosion, become stronger and more durable. Metal is used in pure form, for example, for the manufacture of expensive fountain pens, which practically do not wear out and write for years.

Chromium

Chromium, cobalt and tungsten have been known to science since 1913 and are united under the general name - stellites. They retain their hardness even at temperatures of 600 degrees Celsius.

Basically, this metal is found in the deep layers of the Earth. It is also found in the composition of stony meteorites, which are considered analogues of our mantle. Only chrome spinels are of industrial value. Many minerals that contain chromium are completely useless. The purest chromium is obtained by electrolysis of concentrated aqueous solutions or electrolysis of chromium sulfate.

Metal combined with steel greatly enhances its strength and also adds oxidation resistance. It improves the characteristics of steel without reducing its ductility.

Ruthenium

Belongs to the platinum group and belongs to the noble metals. However, from their list, ruthenium is considered the least noble ... It was discovered by the scientist Karl-Ernst Klaus in 1844. It is noteworthy that the professor constantly sniffed and tasted the results of his research. Once he even got burned oral cavity while tasting one of the ruthenium compounds he had discovered.

Its world reserves today are about 5,000 tons. Ruthenium has been studied for a long time, but many of its properties are still unknown. The whole problem is that so far no way has been found to completely purify ruthenium. The contamination of raw materials makes it difficult to investigate its properties. However, doctors are sure that the use of metal in everyday life can increase the incidence among the population. Therefore, the release of the ruthenium-106 isotope in the Urals caused such a resonance in the press. After all, ruthenium-106 has radioactive properties.

At the same time, its value in 2017 unexpectedly surpassed all platinum metals.

Iridium is the strongest metal

It is iridium that has the highest strength. Yes, it is inferior to osmium in density, but it has the highest strength factor. It is also called the rarest of the metals, but in fact the content of astatine in the earth's crust is even less.

Iridium has been studied very carefully. After 70 years, its main properties - incredible strength and corrosion resistance, have become known throughout the world. Today it is used in many industries. The lion's share of the metal is exploited by the chemical industry. The rest is divided into many other areas, including medicine and jewelry. Iridium combined with platinum creates high-quality and very durable jewelry.

Our world is full amazing facts which are of interest to many people. The properties of various metals are no exception. Among these elements, of which there are 94 in the world, there are the most ductile and malleable, there are also those with high electrical conductivity or with a large resistance coefficient. This article will focus on the hardest metals, as well as their unique properties.

Iridium ranks first in the list of metals with the highest hardness. It was discovered at the beginning of the 19th century by the English chemist Smithson Tennant. Iridium has the following physical properties:

• has a silvery white color;
• its melting point is 2466 o C;
• boiling point - 4428 ° C;
• resistance - 5.3 10−8 Ohm m.

Since iridium is the hardest metal on the planet, it is difficult to process. But it is still used in various industrial fields. For example, small balls are made from it, which are used in nibs for pens. Iridium is used to make components for space rockets, some parts for cars, and more.

Very little iridium is found in nature. The finds of this metal are a kind of evidence that meteorites fell in the place where it was found. These cosmic bodies contain a significant amount of metal. Scientists believe that our planet is also rich in iridium, but its deposits are closer to the Earth's core.

The second position on our list goes to ruthenium. The discovery of this inert silvery metal belongs to the Russian chemist Karl Klaus, which was made in 1844. This element belongs to the platinum group. It is a rare metal. Scientists managed to establish that there are approximately 5 thousand tons of ruthenium on the planet. Approximately 18 tons of metal can be mined per year.

Due to its limited quantity and high cost, ruthenium is rarely used in industry. It is used in the following cases:

• a small amount is added to titanium to improve corrosion properties;
• its alloy with platinum is used to make electrical contacts that are highly durable;
• Ruthenium is often used as a catalyst for chemical reactions.

Discovered in 1802, a metal called tantalum comes third on our list. It was discovered by the Swedish chemist A. G. Ekeberg. For a long time it was believed that tantalum is identical to niobium. But the German chemist Heinrich Rose managed to prove that these are two different elements. The scientist Werner Bolton from Germany was able to isolate tantalum in its pure form in 1922. This is a very rare metal. Most deposits of tantalum ore have been discovered in Western Australia.

Due to its unique properties, tantalum is a highly sought-after metal. It is applied in various fields:

• in medicine, tantalum is used to make wire and other elements that can hold tissues together and even act as a bone substitute;
• alloys with this metal are resistant to aggressive environments, due to which they are used in the manufacture of aerospace equipment and electronics;
• tantalum is also used to create energy in nuclear reactors;
• The element is widely used in the chemical industry.

Chromium is one of the hardest metals. It was discovered in Russia in 1763 in the Northern Urals deposit. It has a bluish-white color, although there are times when it is considered black metal. Chrome is not a rare metal. The following countries are rich in its deposits:

• Kazakhstan;
• Russia;
• Madagascar;
• Zimbabwe.

There are also chromium deposits in other states. This metal is widely used in various branches of metallurgy, science, engineering and others.

The fifth position in the list of the hardest metals went to beryllium. Its discovery belongs to the chemist Louis Nicolas Vauquelin from France, which was made in 1798. This metal has a silvery white color. Despite its hardness, beryllium is a brittle material, which makes it very difficult to process. It is used to create high-quality loudspeakers. It is used to create jet fuel, refractory materials. The metal is widely used in the creation of aerospace equipment and laser systems. It is also used in the nuclear power industry and in the manufacture of X-ray technology.

The list of the hardest metals also includes osmium. It is an element of the platinum group and is similar in properties to iridium. This refractory metal is resistant to aggressive environments, has a high density, and is difficult to process. It was discovered by the scientist Smithson Tennant from England in 1803. This metal is widely used in medicine. Elements of pacemakers are made from it, it is also used to create a pulmonary valve. It is also widely used in the chemical industry and for military purposes.

The transitional silver metal rhenium comes in at number seven on our list. The assumption about the existence of this element was made by D. I. Mendeleev in 1871, and chemists from Germany managed to discover it in 1925. Within 5 years after that, it was possible to establish the extraction of this rare, durable and refractory metal. At that time, it was possible to obtain 120 kg of rhenium per year. Now the amount of annual metal production has increased to 40 tons. It is used in the production of catalysts. It is also used to make electrical contacts capable of self-cleaning.

Silver gray tungsten is not only one of the hardest metals, it also leads in refractoriness. It can only be melted at a temperature of 3422 o C. Due to this property, it is used to create incandescent elements. Alloys made from this element have high strength and are often used for military purposes. Tungsten is also used to make surgical instruments. It is also used to make containers in which radioactive materials are stored.

One of the hardest metals is uranium. It was discovered in 1840 by the chemist Peligot. A great contribution to the study of the properties of this metal was made by D. I. Mendeleev. The radioactive properties of uranium were discovered by the scientist A. A. Becquerel in 1896. Then a chemist from France called the detected metal radiation Becquerel rays. Uranium is often found in nature. Countries with the largest deposits uranium ore are Australia, Kazakhstan and Russia.

The final place in the top ten hardest metals goes to titanium. For the first time, this element in its pure form was obtained by the chemist J. J. Berzelius from Sweden in 1825. Titanium is a light, silvery-white metal that is highly durable and resistant to corrosion and mechanical stress. Titanium alloys are used in many branches of mechanical engineering, medicine and the chemical industry.

The use of metals in Everyday life began at the dawn of human development, and the first metal was copper, since it is available in nature and can be easily processed. No wonder archaeologists during excavations find various products and household utensils from this metal. In the process of evolution, people gradually learned to connect various metals, getting more and more durable alloys suitable for the manufacture of tools, and later weapons. In our time, experiments continue, thanks to which it is possible to identify the most durable metals in the world.

Titanium opens our rating - high-strength solid metal which immediately attracted attention. The properties of titanium are: high specific strength; resistance to high temperatures; low density; corrosion resistance; mechanical and chemical resistance

9 Uranus
The most famous element, which is considered one of the strongest metals in the world, and under normal conditions is a weak radioactive metal. In nature, it is found both in a free state and in acidic sedimentary rocks. It is quite heavy, widely distributed throughout the world and has paramagnetic properties, flexibility, malleability, and relative plasticity. Uranium is used in many areas of production.

8 Tungsten

Known as the most refractory metal of all existing, and belongs to the strongest metals in the world. It is a solid transitional element of a brilliant silver-gray color. Possesses the high durability, excellent infusibility, resistance to chemical influences. Due to its properties, it can be forged and drawn into a thin thread. Known as a tungsten filament.

Among the representatives of this group is considered a transition metal high density silvery white. It occurs in nature in its pure form, but is found in molybdenum and copper raw materials. It features high hardness and density, and has excellent refractoriness. It has increased strength, which is not lost with repeated temperature changes. Rhenium belongs to expensive metals and has a high cost. Used in modern technology and electronics.

A shiny silvery white metal with a slightly bluish tint, belongs to the platinum group and is considered one of the most durable metals in the world. Similar to iridium, it has a high atomic density, high strength and hardness. Since osmium belongs to platinum metals, it has properties similar to iridium: refractoriness, hardness, brittleness, resistance to mechanical stress, as well as to the influence aggressive environments. Found wide application in surgery, electron microscopy, chemical industry, rocket technology, electronic equipment.

5 Beryllium
Belongs to the group of metals, and is a light gray element with relative hardness and high toxicity. Due to its unique properties, beryllium is used in various fields of production: nuclear power; aerospace engineering; metallurgy; laser technology; nuclear energy. Due to its high hardness, beryllium is used in the production of alloying alloys and refractory materials.

4 Chrome
Chromium is next in the top ten most durable metals in the world - a hard, high-strength bluish-white metal that is resistant to alkalis and acids. It occurs in nature in its pure form and is widely used in various branches of science, technology and production. Chromium Used to create various alloys that are used in the manufacture of medical and chemical technological equipment. In combination with iron, it forms a ferrochromium alloy, which is used in the manufacture of metal-cutting tools.

Tantalum deserves bronze in the ranking, as it is one of the most durable metals in the world. He is silver metal with high hardness and atomic density. Due to the formation of an oxide film on its surface, it has a lead tint. Distinctive properties of tantalum are high strength, refractoriness, resistance to corrosion and aggressive media. The metal is a fairly ductile metal and can be easily machined. Today tantalum is successfully used: in the chemical industry; in the construction of nuclear reactors; in metallurgical production; when creating heat-resistant alloys.

2 Ruthenium

The second line of the ranking of the most durable metals in the world is occupied by ruthenium - a silvery metal belonging to the platinum group. Its feature is the presence in the composition of the muscle tissue of living organisms. Valuable properties of ruthenium are high strength, hardness, refractoriness, chemical resistance, and the ability to form complex compounds. Ruthenium is considered a catalyst for many chemical reactions, acts as a material for the manufacture of electrodes, contacts, and sharp tips.

1 Iridium
The rating of the most durable metals in the world is headed by iridium - a silvery-white, hard and refractory metal that belongs to the platinum group. In nature, a high-strength element is extremely rare, and is often combined with osmium. Due to its natural hardness, it is difficult to machine and has a high resistance to impact. chemical. Iridium reacts with great difficulty to the effects of halogens and sodium peroxide. This metal plays an important role in everyday life. It is added to titanium, chromium and tungsten to improve resistance to acidic environments, used in the manufacture of stationery, used in jewelry to create jewelry. The cost of iridium remains high due to its limited presence in nature.

many lovers interesting facts I'm wondering which metal is the hardest? And offhand to answer this question will not be easy. Of course, any chemistry teacher can easily say correctly without even thinking. But among ordinary citizens who last studied chemistry at school, not many will be able to correctly and quickly give an answer. This is due to the fact that everyone has been accustomed to making various toys from wire since childhood and remembered well that copper and aluminum are soft and easy to bend, but steel, on the contrary, is not so easy to give the desired shape. A person deals with the three named metals most often, so he does not even consider the rest of the candidates. But steel is certainly not the hardest metal in the world. In fairness, it should be noted that this is not a metal at all in the chemical sense, but a compound of iron with carbon.

What is titanium?

The hardest metal is titanium. Pure titanium was first obtained in 1925. This discovery made a splash in scientific circles. Industrialists immediately drew attention to the new material and appreciated the benefits of its use. By official version, the hardest metal on Earth, gets its name from the indestructible Titans, which, according to ancient Greek mythology were the founders of the world.

According to scientists, the total world reserves of titanium today are about 730 million tons. At the current rate of extraction of fossil raw materials, there will be enough for another 150 years. Titanium ranks 10th in terms of natural reserves among all known metals. The world's largest titanium producer is the Russian company VSMPO-Avisma, which satisfies up to 35% of the world's needs. The company is engaged full cycle processing from ore mining to the manufacture of various products. It takes about 90% Russian market for the production of titanium. About 70% finished products goes for export.

Titanium is a light, silvery metal with a melting point of 1670 degrees Celsius. Shows high chemical activity only when heated, under normal conditions does not react with most chemical elements and connections. It does not occur in nature in its pure form. Common as rutile (titanium dioxide) and ilmenite ( complex substance, consisting of titanium dioxide and ferrous oxide) ores. Pure titanium is recovered by sintering the ore with chlorine and then displacing the more active metal (most commonly magnesium) from the resulting tetrachloride.

Industrial applications of titanium

The hardest metal has a fairly wide range of applications in many industries. Amorphously arranged atoms provide titanium the highest level tensile and torsion strength, good impact resistance, high magnetic qualities. The metal is used to make air transport hulls and missiles. It copes well with the enormous loads that machines experience at great heights. Titanium is also used in the manufacture of submarine hulls, as it is able to withstand high pressure at great depths.

In the medical industry, metal is used in the manufacture of prostheses and dental implants, as well as surgical instruments. As an alloying element, the element is added to some steel grades, which gives them increased strength and corrosion resistance. Titanium is well suited for casting, as it allows you to get perfect smooth surfaces. It is also made from Jewelry and decorative items. Titanium compounds are also actively used. Paints, white are made from dioxide, they are added to the composition of paper and plastic.

Organoorganic titanium salts are used as a hardening catalyst in paint and varnish production. Made from titanium carbide various tools and nozzles for processing and drilling other metals. In precision engineering, titanium aluminide is used to produce wear-resistant elements that have a high margin of safety.

The hardest metal alloy was obtained by American scientists in 2011. It consists of palladium, silicon, phosphorus, germanium and silver. new material called "metal glass". He combined the hardness of glass and the plasticity of metal. The latter does not allow cracks to propagate, as happens with standard glass. Naturally, the material was not put into wide production, since its components, especially palladium, are rare metals and are very expensive.

AT this moment the efforts of scientists are aimed at searching for alternative components that would preserve the obtained properties, but significantly reduce the cost of production. However, individual parts for the aerospace industry are already being produced from the resulting alloy. If alternative elements can be introduced into the structure and the material becomes widespread, then it is quite possible that it will become one of the most demanded alloys of the future.

Metals are substances that have specific, characteristic properties for them. At the same time, high ductility and ductility, as well as electrical conductivity and a number of other parameters are taken into account. Which one is the most durable metal, you can find out from the data below.

About metals in nature

In Russian, the word "metal" came from German. Since the 16th century, it has been found in books, although quite rarely. Later, in the era of Peter I, they began to use it more often, moreover, then the word had a generalizing meaning "ore, mineral, metal." And only during the period of activity of M.V. Lomonosov, these concepts were delimited.

In nature, metals are rare in their pure form. Basically, they are part of various ores, and also form all kinds of compounds, such as sulfides, oxides, carbonates and others. In order to obtain pure metals, and this is very important for their further use, it is necessary to isolate them and then purify them. If necessary, metals are alloyed - special impurities are added in order to change their properties. At present, there is a division into ferrous metal ores, which include iron, and non-ferrous ores. The precious or precious metals include gold, platinum and silver.

Metals are even in the human body. Calcium, sodium, magnesium, copper, iron - this is a list of these substances that are found in the largest amount.

Depending on the further application, metals are divided into groups:

1. Construction materials. Both the metals themselves and their significantly improved alloys are used. AT this case value strength, impermeability to liquids and gases, uniformity.
2. Materials for tools, most often refers to the working part. Tool steels and hard alloys are suitable for this.
3. Electrical materials. Such metals are used as good conductors of electricity. The most common of these are copper and aluminum. And also used as materials with high resistance - nichrome and others.

The strongest of metals

The strength of metals is their ability to resist fracture under the action of internal stresses that can occur when external forces act on these materials. It is also a property of the structure to maintain its characteristics for a certain time.

Many alloys are quite strong and resistant not only to physical, but also to chemical influences; they do not belong to pure metals. There are metals that can be called the most durable. Titanium, which melts at temperatures above 1,941 K (1660 ± 20 °C), uranium, which belongs to radioactive metals, refractory tungsten, which boils at a temperature of at least 5,828 K (5555 °C). As well as others with unique properties and necessary in the process of manufacturing parts, tools and items according to the most modern technologies. The five most durable of them include metals whose properties are already known, they are widely used in various sectors of the national economy and are used in scientific experiments and developments.

It is found in molybdenum ores and copper raw materials. It has high hardness and density. Very tough. Its strength cannot be reduced even under the influence of critical temperature changes. Widely used in many electronic devices and technical facilities.

A rare earth metal with a silvery-gray tint and shiny, crystalline formations on fractures. Interestingly, beryllium crystals taste somewhat sweet, because of this it was originally called "glucinium", which means "sweet". Thanks to this metal, new technology, which is used in the synthesis artificial stones- emeralds, aquamarines, for the needs of the jewelry industry. Beryllium was discovered while studying the properties of beryl - semi-precious stone. In 1828, the German scientist F. Wöller obtained metallic beryllium. It does not interact with X-rays, therefore, it is actively used to create special devices. In addition, beryllium alloys are used in the manufacture of neutron reflectors and moderators for installation in nuclear reactor. Its refractory and anticorrosive properties, high thermal conductivity make it an indispensable element for creating alloys used in aircraft and aerospace industries.

This metal was discovered on the territory of the middle Urals. M.V. wrote about him. Lomonosov in his work "The First Foundations of Metallurgy" in 1763. It is very common, its most famous and extensive deposits are located in South Africa, Kazakhstan and Russia (Urals). The content of this metal in ores varies greatly. Its color is light blue, with a tint. In its pure form, it is very hard and quite well processed. He serves important component for the creation of alloyed steels, especially stainless ones, it is used in electroplating and the aerospace industry. Its alloy with iron, ferrochromium is necessary for the production of metal-cutting tools.

This metal is valuable, since its properties are only slightly lower than those of noble metals. It has strong resistance to various acids, is not subject to corrosion. Tantalum is used in various designs and connections, for the manufacture of products complex shape and as a basis for the production of acetic and phosphoric acids. The metal is used in medicine, as it can be combined with human tissues. The rocket industry needs a heat-resistant alloy of tantalum and tungsten, because it can withstand temperatures of 2,500 ° C. Tantalum capacitors are installed on radar devices, used in electronic systems like transmitters.

Iridium is considered one of the most durable metals in the world. Silver colored metal, very hard. It belongs to the platinum group metals. It is difficult to process and, moreover, refractory. Iridium practically does not interact with caustic substances. It is used in many industries. Including in jewelry, medical and chemical industries. Significantly improves the resistance of tungsten, chromium and titanium compounds to acidic environments. Pure iridium is not a toxic material, but its individual compounds can be.

Despite the fact that many metals have decent characteristics, it is quite difficult to pinpoint exactly which is the most durable metal in the world. To do this, study all their parameters, in accordance with various analytical systems. But at present, all scientists claim that iridium confidently occupies the first place in terms of strength.