Today we will look at the most durable metals in the world and discuss their properties. And opens the "strength rating" titanium.

Not the most durable?

The name of the metal, presumably, comes from the name of the ancient Greek hero Titan. Therefore, we associate this metal with invincibility. Titanium is considered by many to be the strongest metal in the world. However, in reality this is far from the case.

Pure titanium was first obtained in 1925. The new material was immediately noticed due to a number of properties. Titanium began to be very actively used in the industrial sector.

Today, titanium is in 10th place among natural metals in terms of prevalence. It contains about 700 million tons in the earth's crust. That is, the current raw materials will last another 150 years.

Titanium has excellent properties. It is a lightweight and durable metal, resistant to corrosion. It is easily heat-treatable and has a wide range of applications. It interacts with other elements of the periodic table only when heated. In nature, it is found in rutile and ilmenite ores. Pure titanium is obtained by sintering ore with chlorine.

It is able to withstand huge loads. The metal is distinguished by its high strength and impact resistance. It is used in the manufacture Vehicle, missiles and even submarines. Titanium withstands the force of pressure even at great depths.

It is also popular in the medical industry. Prostheses based on it do not interact with body tissues and are not subject to corrosion. But over the years, it begins to wear out, which makes it necessary to replace the prosthesis with a new one.

New developments

In 2016, scientists found a way to improve the properties of titanium and make it even more durable. The main goal of research is to find a more resistant material, while being compatible with body tissues. And then they remembered gold, which has been used in prosthetics for many years.

An alloy of titanium and gold, after several attempts to find the ideal ratio of the components, proved to be incredibly durable. 4 times stronger than other metals used today for prosthetics.

Tantalum

One of the most durable metals. Named after the ancient Greek god Tantalus, who angered Zeus and was cast into hell. It has a silvery-white color with a bluish tint. It is a characteristic element of granitic and alkaline magma. It is extracted from the mineral coltan, the largest deposits of which are located in Brazil and Africa.

It was opened back in 1802. Then it was considered a kind of columbium, but later it was established that these are two different metals, similar in properties. Only after 100 years was it possible to obtain pure tantalum. Its cost today is quite high - $ 150 per 1 kg of metal.

Tantalum is a refractory metal with a fairly high density. From a chemical point of view, it is stable, as it does not dissolve in dilute acids. In powder form, tantalum burns well in air. It is used for the manufacture of electrolytic capacitors, heaters in vacuum furnaces. Tantalum Capacitors Extend Life electronic systems up to 10-12 years old. It is noteworthy that even jewelers have found application for it - they replace platinum.

The strength test of metals showed that the alloy of tantalum and tungsten has almost one hundred percent strength.

Osmium is the most...

Osmium is another incredibly strong metal. It is also included in the list of the rarest and most expensive. In the composition of the earth's crust, it is present in scanty quantities. It belongs to scattered ones, that is, it does not have its own deposits. Therefore, its extraction is accompanied by enormous difficulties.

Osmium belongs to the group of platinum metals. Its cost is about 10,000 dollars per 1 gram. For the price, it is second only to artificial California. It is made up of several isotopes that are incredibly difficult to separate. The most popular isotope is osmium-187. Its price for 1 gram reaches 200,000 dollars!

Osmium is the champion in density among metals. In addition, it is a high strength metal. Alloys, which contain osmium, acquire resistance to corrosion, become stronger and more durable. Metal is also used in its pure form, for example, for the manufacture of expensive fountain pens, which practically do not wear out and write for years.

Chromium

Chromium, cobalt and tungsten have been known to science since 1913 and are combined under common name- stellites. They retain their hardness even at temperatures of 600 degrees Celsius.

Basically, this metal is found in the deep layers of the Earth. It is also found in the composition of stony meteorites, which are considered analogues of our mantle. Only chrome spinels are of industrial value. Many minerals that contain chromium are completely useless. The purest chromium is obtained by electrolysis of concentrated aqueous solutions or by electrolysis of chromium sulfate.

Metal combined with steel greatly enhances its strength and also adds oxidation resistance. It improves the characteristics of steel without reducing its ductility.

Ruthenium

Belongs to the platinum group and belongs to the noble metals. However, from their list, ruthenium is considered the least noble ... It was discovered by the scientist Karl-Ernst Klaus in 1844. It is noteworthy that the professor constantly sniffed and tasted the results of his research. Once he even got a burn of his mouth when he tasted one of the ruthenium compounds he had discovered.

Its world reserves today are about 5,000 tons. Ruthenium has been studied for a long time, but many of its properties are still unknown. The whole problem is that so far no way has been found to completely purify ruthenium. The contamination of raw materials makes it difficult to investigate its properties. However, doctors are sure that the use of metal in everyday life can increase the incidence among the population. Therefore, the release of the ruthenium-106 isotope in the Urals caused such a resonance in the press. After all, ruthenium-106 has radioactive properties.

At the same time, its value in 2017 unexpectedly surpassed all platinum metals.

Iridium is the strongest metal

It is iridium that has the highest strength. Yes, it is inferior to osmium in density, but it has the highest strength factor. It is also called the rarest of the metals, but in fact the content of astatine in the earth's crust is even less.

Iridium has been studied very carefully. After 70 years, its main properties - incredible strength and resistance to corrosion, have become known throughout the world. Today it is used in many industries. The lion's share of the metal is exploited by the chemical industry. The rest is divided into many other areas, including medicine and jewelry. Iridium combined with platinum creates high-quality and very durable jewelry.

Most of the elements of the periodic table refers to metals. They differ in physical and chemical characteristics, but have general properties: high electrical and thermal conductivity, plasticity, positive temperature. Most metals are solid under normal conditions, there is one single exception to this rule - mercury. Chromium is considered the hardest metal.

In 1766, at one of the mines near Yekaterinburg, a previously unknown mineral of saturated red color was discovered. He was given the name "Siberian red lead". The modern name for this is "crocoite", its PbCrO4. The new mineral attracted the attention of scientists. In 1797, the French chemist Vauquelin, conducting experiments with him, isolated a new metal, later called chromium.

Chromium compounds have a bright color of various colors. For this, he got his name, because in Greek "chromium" means "paint".

In its pure form, it is a bluish-silver metal. It is the most important component of alloyed (stainless) steels, giving them corrosion resistance and hardness. Chromium is widely used in electroplating, for applying a beautiful and wear-resistant protective coating, as well as in leather processing. Base alloys are used to make rocket parts, heat-resistant nozzles, etc. Most sources claim that chromium is the most solid metal of all existing on . The hardness of chromium (depending on the experimental conditions) reaches 700-800 units on the Brinell scale.

Chromium, although considered the hardest metal on earth, is only slightly inferior in hardness to tungsten and uranium.

How is chromium obtained in industry

Chromium is part of many minerals. The richest deposits of chrome ores are located in South Africa (Republic of South Africa). There are many chrome ores in Kazakhstan, Russia, Zimbabwe, Turkey and some other countries. Chromium iron ore Fe (CrO2) 2 is the most widespread. From this mineral, chromium is obtained by roasting in electric furnaces over a layer of coke. The reaction proceeds according to the following formula: Fe (CrО2) 2 + 4C = 2Cr + Fe + 4CO.

The hardest metal from chromium iron ore can be obtained in another way. To do this, the mineral is first fused with soda ash, resulting in the formation of sodium chromate Na2CrO4. Then, after acidifying the solution, chromium is converted into dichromate (Na2Cr2O7). From sodium bichromate, by calcination with coal, basic chromium oxide Cr2O3 is obtained. At the final stage, after the interaction of this oxide with aluminum at high temperature, pure chromium is formed.

Titanium was discovered at the end of the 18th century by independent scientists from England and Germany. In the periodic table of elements D.I. Mendeleev is located in group 4 with atomic number 22. For quite a long time, scientists did not see any prospects in titanium, since it was very fragile. But in 1925, the Dutch scientists I. de Boer and A. Van Arkel were able to obtain pure titanium in the laboratory, which became a real breakthrough in all industries.

Titanium properties

Pure titanium proved to be incredibly technological. It has plasticity, low density, high specific strength, corrosion resistance, as well as strength when exposed to high temperatures. Titanium is twice as strong as steel and six times as strong. In supersonic aviation, titanium is indispensable. Indeed, at an altitude of 20 km, it develops a speed exceeding the speed of sound three times. In this case, the temperature of the aircraft body heats up to 300°C. Only titanium alloys withstand such conditions.

Titanium shavings are flammable, and titanium dust can even explode. During the explosion, the flash point can reach 400°C.

The most durable on the planet

Titanium is so light and strong that its alloys are used to make aircraft and submarine hulls, body armor and tank armor, and are also used in nuclear technology. Another remarkable property of this metal is its passive effect on living tissues. Only from do osteoprostheses. Some titanium compounds are used to make semi-precious stones and Jewelry.

The chemical industry also did not leave titanium unattended. In many aggressive environments, the metal does not corrode. Titanium dioxide is used to make white paint, in the production of plastic and paper, and as a food additive E171.

In the hardness scale of metals, titanium is second only to platinum metals and tungsten.

Distribution and stocks

Titanium is a fairly common metal. In this indicator, he ranks tenth. The earth's crust contains about 0.57% titanium. On the this moment scientists know over a hundred minerals that contain metal. Its deposits are scattered almost all over the world. Titanium is mined in China, South Africa, Russia, Ukraine, India and Japan.

Progress

For several years now, scientists have been conducting research on a new metal, which has been called "liquid metal". This invention marks the title of the new, most durable metal on the planet. However, it has not yet been obtained in solid form.

The world around us is still fraught with many mysteries, but even phenomena and substances known to scientists for a long time do not cease to amaze and delight. We admire bright colors, enjoy tastes and use the properties of all kinds of substances that make our life more comfortable, safer and more enjoyable. In search of the most reliable and strong materials, man has made many exciting discoveries, and in front of you is a selection of just 25 such unique compounds!

25. Diamonds

If not everyone, then almost everyone knows this for sure. Diamonds are not only one of the most revered gemstones, but also one of the hardest minerals on Earth. On the Mohs scale (a scale of hardness in which an assessment is given by the reaction of a mineral to scratching), diamond is listed on the 10th line. There are 10 positions in the scale, and the 10th is the last and hardest degree. Diamonds are so hard that they can only be scratched with other diamonds.

24. Trapping webs of the spider species Caaerostris darwini


Photo: pixabay

It's hard to believe, but the network of the spider Caerostris darwini (or Darwin's spider) is stronger than steel and harder than Kevlar. This web was recognized as the hardest biological material in the world, although now it has a potential competitor, but the data has not yet been confirmed. Spider fiber was tested for characteristics such as breaking strain, impact strength, tensile strength and Young's modulus (the property of a material to resist stretching, compression during elastic deformation), and in all these indicators, the web showed itself in an amazing way. In addition, the trapping web of the Darwin spider is incredibly light. For example, if we wrap our planet with Caaerostris darwini fiber, the weight of such a long thread will be only 500 grams. Such long networks do not exist, but the theoretical calculations are simply amazing!

23. Aerographite


Photo: BrokenSphere

This synthetic foam is one of the lightest fibrous materials in the world and is a network of carbon tubes only a few microns in diameter. Aerographite is 75 times lighter than polystyrene, but at the same time much stronger and more ductile. It can be compressed down to 30 times its original size without any harm to its extremely elastic structure. Thanks to this property, airgraphite foam can withstand loads up to 40,000 times its own weight.

22. Palladium metallic glass


Photo: pixabay

A team of scientists from the California Institute of Technology and Berkeley Lab (California Institute of Technology, Berkeley Lab) has developed the new kind metal glass, combining an almost perfect combination of strength and ductility. The reason for the uniqueness of the new material lies in the fact that its chemical structure successfully masks the brittleness of existing glassy materials while maintaining a high endurance threshold, which ultimately significantly increases the fatigue strength of this synthetic structure.

21. Tungsten carbide


Photo: pixabay

Tungsten carbide is an incredibly hard material with high wear resistance. Under certain conditions, this compound is considered very brittle, but under heavy load it shows unique plastic properties, manifesting itself in the form of slip bands. Thanks to all these qualities, tungsten carbide is used in the manufacture of armor-piercing tips and various equipment, including all kinds of cutters, abrasive discs, drills, cutters, drill bits and other cutting tools.

20. Silicon carbide


Photo: Tiia Monto

Silicon carbide is one of the main materials used to make battle tanks. This compound is known for its low cost, outstanding refractoriness, and high hardness, and is therefore often used in the manufacture of equipment or gear that must deflect bullets, cut, or grind other hard materials. Silicon carbide makes excellent abrasives, semiconductors, and even inlays in jewelry that mimic diamonds.

19. Cubic boron nitride


Photo: wikimedia commons

Cubic boron nitride is a superhard material, similar in hardness to diamond, but also has a number of distinctive advantages - high temperature stability and chemical resistance. Cubic boron nitride does not dissolve in iron and nickel even under the influence of high temperatures, while diamond under the same conditions enters into chemical reactions rather quickly. In fact, this is beneficial for its use in industrial grinding tools.

18. Ultra High Molecular Weight Polyethylene (UHMWPE), Dyneema fiber brand


Photo: Justsail

High modulus polyethylene has extremely high wear resistance, low coefficient of friction and high fracture toughness (low temperature reliability). Today it is considered the strongest fibrous substance in the world. The most amazing thing about this polyethylene is that it is lighter than water and can stop bullets at the same time! Cables and ropes made of Dyneema fibers do not sink in water, do not need lubrication and do not change their properties when wet, which is very important for shipbuilding.

17. Titanium alloys


Photo: Alchemist-hp (pse-mendelejew.de)

Titanium alloys are incredibly ductile and show amazing strength when stretched. In addition, they have high heat resistance and corrosion resistance, which makes them extremely useful in areas such as aircraft, rocketry, shipbuilding, chemical, food and transportation engineering.

16. Liquid metal alloy


Photo: pixabay

Developed in 2003 at the California Institute of Technology, this material is renowned for its strength and durability. The name of the compound is associated with something brittle and liquid, but at room temperature it is actually unusually hard, wear-resistant, not afraid of corrosion and transforms when heated, like thermoplastics. The main areas of application so far are the manufacture of watches, golf clubs and coatings for mobile phones(Vertu, iPhone).

15. Nanocellulose


Photo: pixabay

Nanocellulose is isolated from wood fibers and is a new type of wood material that is even stronger than steel! In addition, nanocellulose is also cheaper. The innovation has great potential and could seriously compete with glass and carbon fiber in the future. The developers believe that this material will soon be in great demand in the production of army armor, super-flexible screens, filters, flexible batteries, absorbent aerogels and biofuels.

14. Teeth of snails of the "sea saucer" type


Photo: pixabay

Earlier, we already told you about the trapping web of Darwin's spider, which was once recognized as the most durable biological material on the planet. However, a recent study showed that the limpet is the most durable biological substance known to science. Yes, these teeth are stronger than the web of Caaerostris darwini. And this is not surprising, because tiny sea creatures feed on algae growing on the surface of harsh rocks, and these animals have to work hard to separate food from the rock. Scientists believe that in the future we will be able to use the example of the fibrous structure of the teeth of marine limpets in the engineering industry and begin to build cars, boats, and even aircraft increased strength, inspired by the example of simple snails.

13. Maraging steel


Photo: pixabay

Maraging steel is a high strength and high alloy alloy with excellent ductility and toughness. The material is widely used in rocket science and is used to make all kinds of tools.

12. Osmium


Photo: Periodictableru / www.periodictable.ru

Osmium is an incredibly dense element, and due to its hardness and high melting point, it is difficult to machine. That is why osmium is used where durability and strength are most valued. Osmium alloys are found in electrical contacts, rocketry, military projectiles, surgical implants, and many other applications.

11. Kevlar


Photo: wikimedia commons

Kevlar is a high tenacity fiber found in car tires, brake pads, cables, prosthetics, body armor, protective clothing fabrics, shipbuilding and drone parts. aircraft. The material has become almost synonymous with strength and is a type of plastic with incredibly high strength and elasticity. The tensile strength of Kevlar is 8 times higher than that of steel wire, and it begins to melt at a temperature of 450℃.

10. Ultra high molecular weight polyethylene of high density, brand of fibers "Spectra" (Spectra)


Photo: Tomas Castelazo, www.tomascastelazo.com / Wikimedia Commons

UHMWPE is essentially a very durable plastic. Spectra, the UHMWPE brand, is, in turn, a light fiber of the highest wear resistance, 10 times superior to steel in this indicator. Like Kevlar, spectrum is used in the manufacture of body armor and protective helmets. Along with UHMWPE, dainimo spectrum is popular in the shipbuilding and transport industries.

9. Graphene


Photo: pixabay

Graphene is an allotropic modification of carbon, and its crystal lattice, just one atom thick, is so strong that it is 200 times harder than steel. Graphene looks like cling film, but breaking it is an almost impossible task. To punch through a graphene sheet, you have to stick a pencil into it, on which you will have to balance a load with the weight of an entire school bus. Good luck!

8. Carbon nanotube paper


Photo: pixabay

Thanks to nanotechnology, scientists have managed to make paper that is 50,000 times thinner than a human hair. Sheets of carbon nanotubes are 10 times lighter than steel, but the most amazing thing is that they are as much as 500 times stronger! Macroscopic nanotube plates are the most promising for the manufacture of supercapacitor electrodes.

7. Metal microgrid


Photo: pixabay

Here is the lightest metal in the world! The metal microgrid is a synthetic porous material that is 100 times lighter than foam. But let him appearance Don't be fooled, these micro-grids are also incredibly strong, making them great potential for use in all sorts of engineering applications. They can be used to make excellent shock absorbers and thermal insulators, and the amazing ability of this metal to shrink and return to its original state allows it to be used to store energy. Metal microgrids are also actively used in the production of various parts for the aircraft of the American company Boeing.

6. Carbon nanotubes


Photo: User Mstroeck / en.wikipedia

Above, we have already talked about ultra-strong macroscopic carbon nanotube plates. But what kind of material is this? In fact, these are graphene planes rolled into a tube (9th point). The result is an incredibly light, resilient and durable material for a wide range of applications.

5. Airbrush


Photo: wikimedia commons

Also known as graphene airgel, this material is extremely light and strong at the same time. The new type of gel has completely replaced the liquid phase with a gaseous one, and it is characterized by sensational hardness, heat resistance, low density and low thermal conductivity. Incredibly, graphene airgel is 7 times lighter than air! The unique compound is able to regain its original shape even after 90% compression and can absorb up to 900 times the weight of oil used to absorb airbrush. Perhaps in the future this class of materials will help in the fight against environmental disasters such as oil spills.

4. Material without a name, the development of the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)


Photo: pixabay

As you read this, a team of scientists at MIT is working to improve the properties of graphene. The researchers said that they have already managed to convert the two-dimensional structure of this material into three-dimensional. The new graphene substance has not yet received its name, but it is already known that its density is 20 times less than that of steel, and its strength is 10 times higher than that of steel.

3. Carbin


Photo: Smokefoot

Even though it's just linear chains of carbon atoms, carbyne has 2x the tensile strength of graphene and is 3x harder than diamond!

2. Boron nitride wurtzite modification


Photo: pixabay

This newly discovered natural substance is formed during volcanic eruptions and is 18% harder than diamonds. However, it surpasses diamonds in a number of other parameters. Wurtzite boron nitride is one of only 2 natural substances found on Earth that is harder than diamond. The problem is that there are very few such nitrides in nature, and therefore they are not easy to study or apply in practice.

1. Lonsdaleite


Photo: pixabay

Also known as hexagonal diamond, lonsdaleite is made up of carbon atoms, but in this modification, the atoms are arranged slightly differently. Like wurtzite boron nitride, lonsdaleite is a natural substance that is harder than diamond. Moreover, this amazing mineral is harder than diamond by as much as 58%! Like wurtzite boron nitride, this compound is extremely rare. Sometimes lonsdaleite is formed during a collision with the Earth of meteorites, which include graphite.

many lovers interesting facts I'm wondering which metal is the hardest? And offhand to answer this question will not be easy. Of course, any chemistry teacher can easily say correctly without even thinking. But among ordinary citizens who last time studied chemistry at school, not many will be able to correctly and quickly give an answer. This is due to the fact that everyone has been accustomed to making various toys from wire since childhood and remembered well that copper and aluminum are soft and easy to bend, but steel, on the contrary, is not so easy to give the desired shape. A person deals with the three named metals most often, so he does not even consider the rest of the candidates. But steel is certainly not the hardest metal in the world. In fairness, it should be noted that this is not a metal at all in the chemical sense, but a compound of iron with carbon.

What is titanium?

The hardest metal is titanium. Pure titanium was first obtained in 1925. This discovery made a splash in scientific circles. Industrialists immediately drew attention to the new material and appreciated the benefits of its use. According to the official version, the hardest metal on Earth got its name in honor of the indestructible Titans, who, according to ancient Greek mythology, were the founders of the world.

According to scientists, the total world reserves of titanium today are about 730 million tons. At the current rate of extraction of fossil raw materials, there will be enough for another 150 years. Titanium ranks 10th in terms of natural reserves among all known metals. The world's largest producer of titanium is Russian company VSMPO-Avisma, which satisfies up to 35% of the world's needs. The company is engaged in a full cycle of processing from ore mining to the manufacture of various products. It takes about 90% Russian market for the production of titanium. About 70% finished products goes for export.

Titanium is a light, silvery metal with a melting point of 1670 degrees Celsius. It exhibits high chemical activity only when heated; under normal conditions, it does not react with most chemical elements and compounds. It does not occur in nature in its pure form. It is common in the form of rutile (titanium dioxide) and ilmenite (a complex substance consisting of titanium dioxide and ferrous oxide) ores. Pure titanium is recovered by sintering the ore with chlorine and then displacing the more active metal (most commonly magnesium) from the resulting tetrachloride.

Industrial applications of titanium

The hardest metal has a fairly wide range of applications in many industries. Amorphously arranged atoms provide titanium with the highest level of tensile and torsion strength, good impact resistance, and high magnetic qualities. The metal is used to make air transport hulls and missiles. It copes well with the enormous loads that machines experience at great heights. Titanium is also used in the manufacture of hulls for submarines, as it is able to withstand high pressure at great depths.

In the medical industry, metal is used in the manufacture of prostheses and dental implants, as well as surgical instruments. As an alloying element, the element is added to some steel grades, which gives them increased strength and corrosion resistance. Titanium is well suited for casting, as it allows you to get perfectly smooth surfaces. Jewelry and decorative items are also made from it. Titanium compounds are also actively used. Paints, white are made from dioxide, they are added to the composition of paper and plastic.

Complex organic titanium salts are used as a hardening catalyst in paint and varnish production. Made from titanium carbide various tools and nozzles for processing and drilling other metals. In precision engineering, titanium aluminide is used to produce wear-resistant elements that have a high margin of safety.

Most hard alloy metal was obtained by American scientists in 2011. It consists of palladium, silicon, phosphorus, germanium and silver. new material called "metal glass". He combined the hardness of glass and the plasticity of metal. The latter does not allow cracks to propagate, as happens with standard glass. Naturally, the material was not put into wide production, since its components, especially palladium, are rare metals and are very expensive.

At the moment, the efforts of scientists are aimed at finding alternative components that would preserve the obtained properties, but significantly reduce the cost of production. However, individual parts for the aerospace industry are already being produced from the obtained alloy. If alternative elements can be introduced into the structure and the material becomes widespread, then it is quite possible that it will become one of the most demanded alloys of the future.