Zirconium 40 Zr 91.224(2)   Switch element to... actinium aluminium aluminum americium antimony argon arsenic astatine barium berkelium beryllium bismuth bohrium boron bromine cadmium caesium calcium californium carbon cerium cesium chlorine chromium cobalt copper curium darmstadtium dubnium dysprosium einsteinium erbium europium fermium fluorine francium gadolinium gallium germanium gold hafnium hassium helium holmium hydrogen indium iodine iridium iron krypton lanthanum lawrencium lead lithium lutetium magnesium manganese meitnerium mendelevium mercury molybdenum neodymium neon neptunium nickel niobium nitrogen nobelium osmium oxygen palladium phosphorus platinum plutonium polonium potassium praseodymium promethium protactinium radium radon rhenium rhodium roentgenium rubidium ruthenium rutherfordium samarium scandium seaborgium selenium silicon silver sodium strontium sulfur sulphur tantalum technetium tellurium terbium thallium thorium thulium tin titanium tungsten ununbium ununhexium ununoctium ununpentium ununquadium ununtrium uranium vanadium xenon ytterbium yttrium zinc zirconium Go adjacent... Sc Ti V Y Zr Nb Lu Hf Ta

Uses

The following uses for zirconium are gathered from a number of sources as well as from anecdotal comments. I'd be delighted to receive corrections as well as additional referenced uses (please use the feedback mechanism to add uses).

The metal is used in the nuclear industry for cladding fuel elements since it has a low absorption cross section for neutrons. Zirconium is very resistant to corrosion by many common acids and alkalis and by sea water. It is therefore used extensively by the chemical industry where corrosive agents are employed. The metal is used as an alloying agent in steel and for making surgical appliances. The metal superconducts at low temperatures and zirconium/niobium alloys are used to make superconductor magnets. Alloys with zinc become magnetic at temperatures below 35 K. Zirconium is used as a "getter" in vacuum tubes, in flash bulbs for photography, in explosive primers, and in lamp filaments.

The oxide (zircon) has a high index of refraction and is a good gem material. The oxide is also used for laboratory crucibles that will withstand heat shock, for linings of metallurgical furnaces, and by the glass and ceramic industries as a refractory material.

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