Specific weight of zirconium, its properties, applications, and values table

Zirconium is an element of the fourth group of the secondary subgroup of the fifth period of the periodic table of elements. Zirconium in its simple form is a shiny gray metal with a silvery tint. It is characterized by excellent corrosion resistance and high ductility.

This material exists in two variations: zirconium with a hexagonal close-packed lattice (alpha-zirconium) and zirconium with a body-centered cubic lattice. This type changes from one form to the other at a temperature of 863 °C.

Table of the specific weight of zirconium

The weight of this material depends on such a parameter as the specific weight of zirconium. Since this material is complex, it is not possible to calculate its specific weight in field conditions. This procedure is carried out in special chemical laboratories. However, the average specific weight is known and is 6.506 g/cm³.

To simplify calculations of indicators such as the weight of zirconium and its specific weight, the table below provides these values, as well as other calculations for different measurement systems.

Properties of zirconium

Zirconium has a good density equal to 6.506 g/cm³, good heat capacity at temperatures from 25 to 100 °C, and excellent electrical resistance. The melting point of zirconium is 1855 °C, and its boiling point is 4409 °C.

This type of material in pure form is ductile and is easily subjected to different types of processing, such as rolling, stamping, and forging, as well as other types of hot and cold processing. With an oxygen content of more than 0.2 percent, this material cannot be processed by cold pressure. A brittle structure may appear due to the presence of nitrogen, carbon, oxygen, and hydrogen in its composition.

Compact zirconium has the property of slowly oxidizing at temperatures in the range from 200 to 400 °C, becoming covered with a zirconium dioxide film. Above 800 °C, it interacts well with oxygen in the air.

Compact zirconium is resistant in water, steam and many acid environments because of its protective zirconium dioxide film. Its resistance still depends on concentration, temperature and impurities: fluoride-containing media and hydrofluoric acid are especially aggressive because they destroy the protective film. For chemically demanding conditions, use data for the specific alloy and environment.

Zirconium is classified as a paramagnetic metal.

Applications of zirconium

Zirconium and its alloys are widely used in various fields. The main areas include:

• Use in nuclear power engineering for the manufacture of fuel assemblies and elements, as well as other structures in nuclear reactors.
• Use in metallurgy as a master-alloy material, since it is an excellent denitriding and deoxidizing agent. Zirconium is also used to make alloys with high heat resistance and strength while causing only a small loss of electrical conductivity.
• Use of zirconium powder and fine turnings in pyrotechnic compositions, signal devices and special chemical light sources. Compact metal and fine powder behave differently: powder can ignite easily and therefore requires strict safety measures.
• Use in special alloys and compounds for electrical engineering, vacuum technology and scientific equipment where corrosion resistance, material purity and stable properties are important.
• Use in medicine for the manufacture of various types of prostheses and surgical instruments due to excellent resistance to biological environments, even better than titanium.