Rhenium
✈️ In Your World
Rhenium is one of the rarest elements on Earth and has one of the highest melting points, second only to tungsten. Its primary use is in high-temperature superalloys, particularly nickel-based alloys used to make the turbine blades and exhaust nozzles of jet engines. It is also used as a catalyst in the chemical industry for producing high-octane, lead-free gasoline.
📖 The Discovery Story
Rhenium was the last stable, naturally occurring element to be discovered. Its existence was predicted by Dmitri Mendeleev. In 1925, German chemists Walter Noddack, Ida Tacke, and Otto Berg announced its discovery after detecting it in platinum ores and the mineral columbite using X-ray spectroscopy. They named it "rhenium" after the Rhine River (Rhenus in Latin), a major river in Germany.
📊 Properties at a Glance
| Phase at STP | Solid |
| Melting Point | 3186 °C / 5767 °F |
| Boiling Point | 5596 °C / 10105 °F |
| Electron Configuration | [Xe] 4f¹⁴5d⁵6s² |
| Abundance in Earth's Crust | 0.0000001% |
⚠️ Safety & Handling
Rhenium metal is considered to have low toxicity. However, due to its extreme rarity, the full toxicological effects of its various compounds are not well-studied. As with any metal, inhaling its dust should be avoided.