Zirconium
⚛️ In Your World
Zirconium is a champion of endurance. Its incredible resistance to corrosion and heat makes it essential for harsh environments. It's used to make pipes for chemical plants and as a cladding for fuel rods in nuclear reactors because it doesn't easily absorb neutrons. Its oxide, zirconia, is used to make extremely strong ceramics for knives and as a diamond simulant called cubic zirconia.
📖 The Discovery Story
Zirconium was discovered in 1789 by German chemist Martin Heinrich Klaproth while analyzing a zircon gemstone. He realized the stone contained a new, unknown "earth" (oxide). The impure metal was first isolated in 1824 by Swedish chemist Jöns Jacob Berzelius. The name "zirconium" is derived from the mineral zircon, which itself comes from the Persian word zargun, meaning "gold-like."
📊 Properties at a Glance
| Phase at STP | Solid |
| Melting Point | 1855 °C / 3371 °F |
| Boiling Point | 4409 °C / 7968 °F |
| Electron Configuration | [Kr] 4d²5s² |
| Abundance in Earth's Crust | 0.016% |
⚠️ Safety & Handling
Solid zirconium metal is generally safe and has low toxicity. However, zirconium powder or dust is extremely flammable and can ignite spontaneously in air (it is pyrophoric). This poses a significant fire and explosion risk in industrial settings where the metal is processed.