Is a chemical element, the element symbol Zr atomic number is 40, the elemental is a high melting point metal, light gray. The surface of zirconium is easy to form a layer of oxide film, with luster, so the appearance is similar to steel. Corrosion resistance, soluble in hydrofluoric acid and aqua regia, at high temperatures, can react with non-metallic elements and many metal elements to generate solid solutions.
Zirconium, element symbol: Zr, atomic weight: 91.224, density: 6.49 g/cm³, melting point: 1852℃.
Zirconium products are rich in variety and in various forms. The initial mineral form is zircon sand. After caustic soda, water washing and other treatment, primary products such as zirconium silicate and zirconium oxychloride can be generated. Continue to calcination, chlorination, reduction can also be made into zirconia, industrial grade zirconium sponge products; If the purification and separation technology reaches a certain level, nuclear grade zirconium sponge can be made. The application field of zirconium is very wide, mainly in the form of zirconium silicate, zirconium oxide used in ceramics, refractory materials and other fields. Only 3% to 4% of zirconium ore is processed into metallic zirconium (or sponge zirconium), which is further processed into various zirconium materials. Due to the small thermal neutron absorption cross section of zirconium metal, zirconium metal has excellent nuclear performance, and nuclear grade zirconium is used as structural materials for nuclear aircraft carriers, nuclear submarines and civil power reactors, and uranium fuel element cladding.