Ruthenium
⚡ In Your World
Ruthenium is a rare, hard, silvery-white metal belonging to the platinum group. It's an extremely effective hardener for other metals, especially platinum and palladium, creating durable alloys used for severe wear-resistant electrical contacts. It is also a versatile catalyst, used in the chemical industry to produce ammonia and acetic acid.
📖 The Discovery Story
Ruthenium was the last of the platinum group metals to be discovered. In 1844, Russian-born scientist of Baltic German descent, Karl Ernst Claus, isolated the element from platinum ore residues. He named it "ruthenium" after Ruthenia, the Latin word for Rus', a historical region that includes parts of modern-day Russia and Ukraine, honoring his birthplace in the Russian Empire.
📊 Properties at a Glance
| Phase at STP | Solid |
| Melting Point | 2334 °C / 4233 °F |
| Boiling Point | 4150 °C / 7502 °F |
| Electron Configuration | [Kr] 4d⁷5s¹ |
| Abundance in Earth's Crust | 0.0000001% |
⚠️ Safety & Handling
Ruthenium metal is relatively inert and considered non-toxic. However, some of its compounds can be toxic and are suspected carcinogens. Its oxide, ruthenium tetroxide (RuO₄), is particularly hazardous as it is highly volatile and a very strong oxidizing agent.