Properties and applications of tantalum metal

In nature, tantalum ores are scattered and often associated with niobium, which is difficult to separate. Therefore, it was not until 1903 that tantalum metal was refined, and industrialized production began in 1922.

Tantalum is a gray-white metal, very hard, and extremely high temperature. As the saying goes, "True gold is not afraid of fire." In fact, the melting point of gold is only 1063 ° C, while the melting point of tantalum metal is as high as 2996 ° C, so tantalum can be called a "fiery vajra".

Tantalum metal is characterized by strong corrosion resistance, it is not afraid of nitric acid, sulfuric acid, and even in aqua regia is not dissolved. The only thing that can make metal tantalum corrosion is hydrofluoric acid. Tantalum's chemical stability has exceeded the glass, ceramics, can be comparable with Tin, but the price of tantalum metal is only one-seventh of Tin. Therefore, people often use tantalum metal instead of uranium to make electrodes, crucibles, evaporation dishes, wire filter cloth, as well as chemical production with the reactor, reaction tanks, reaction towers and pipelines, valves, etc., but also the application of tantalum metal to manufacture high-precision weights, nibs, spinnerets, watches, lightning rods and jewelry and so on.

Tantalum metal can also be in close contact with human or animal cells, so it has the reputation of "pro-biotic metal". For example, tantalum plates can be used to close skull defects in the human head, and tantalum strips can replace broken bones to support the human body. And after a period of time, human muscles can actually grow on tantalum plates and strips. It is said that after a person's outer ear is damaged, a thin sheet of tantalum can be applied to make an ear shell and then planted with skin. Repair the ear is almost the same as the real ear; can also be pulled into a tantalum wire, implanted in the muscle to repair the damaged tendons and nerve fibers, and so on.

Tantalum has a wide range of applications. In order to save the amount of tantalum, people have been trying to carry out tantalum plating treatment on the surface of other metals, and the results have been repeatedly failed. Recently, good news came that Russian scientists have overcome the problem of tantalum plating. Tantalum plating is said to require high temperatures of 700°C and to be carried out in the absence of water and air. We believe that this technology will lead to a wider application of tantalum.