10 Facts about Ruthenium | Facts of World

Facts about Ruthenium give the details about the chemical element with the atomic number 44. Ru is the symbol of this element. In the periodic table of chemistry, Ruthenium is included in the platinum group. It is considered as a rare transition metal. In 1844, the element was discovered by Karl Ernst Claus. He was a member of Russian Academy of Science. Claus worked as a scientist. He had the Baltic-German ancestry though he was born in Russia. The discovery of Ruthenium took place in Russia at Kazan State University. The name of the element was derived from Ruthenia, Claus’ homeland. Here are other interesting facts about Ruthenium to notice:

Facts about Ruthenium 1: the yearly production

The yearly production of Ruthenium reaches 20 tonnes. People can get Ruthenium from the platinum ores though it is only a minor part.

Facts about Ruthenium 2: the primary use of Ruthenium

Ruthenium is an important element in the world. It is mainly used in the thick-film resistors and wear-resistant electrical contacts.

Ruthenium

Facts about Ruthenium 3: the minor use of Ruthenium

Ruthenium is also used for chemistry catalyst and platinum alloys. When people want to produce the extreme ultraviolet photo masks, the capping layer is created from ruthenium.

Facts about Ruthenium 4: where to find ruthenium?

Ores generally contain ruthenium. The Ural Mountains have the ruthenium and other elements of platinum group metals. Sudbury, Ontario contains pentlandite, which has a small quantity of Ruthenium.

Facts about Ruthenium 5: the stable isotopes

Do you know the number of stable isotopes of ruthenium? It has seven stable isotopes. The scientists also discover 34 additional radioactive isotopes. The 106Ru is considered as the most stable one. It has the half-life of 373.59 days. Other stable isotopes of ruthenium are 97Ru and 103Ru. The former one has the half-life of 2.9 days, while the latter has the half-life of 39.26 days.

Ruthenium

Facts about Ruthenium 6: the rare element

Ruthenium is considered as a rare element in the world. The presence of this element is 100 parts per trillion. That is why it is included as the 74th most abundant element on the Earth’s crust. It is hard for the people to find the native form of Ruthenium.

Facts about Ruthenium 7: the number of ruthenium production

The yearly production of ruthenium is around 12 tonnes. The amount of the world reserve for ruthenium is around 5,000 tonnes.

Facts about Ruthenium 8: the primary use of ruthenium

More than 50 percent of ruthenium is used for manufacturing the thick film chip resistors and electrical contacts. The primary reason for the latter one is due to its ability to harden the palladium and platinum alloys.