Metals have been used by man since the dawn of civilization. One of the first known was copper, due to its ease of processing and widespread use. Archaeologists have found thousands of copper items during excavations. Progress does not stand still, and soon humanity learned to produce durable alloys to make weapons and agricultural tools. To this day, experiments with metals do not stop, so it has become possible to determine which is the most durable metal in the world.
Iridium
So, the most durable metal is iridium. It is obtained by precipitation from the dissolution of platinum in sulfuric acid. After the reaction, the substance acquires a black color, in the future, in the process of various compounds, it can change color: hence the name, which means "rainbow" in translation. Iridium was discovered in early XIX century, and since then only two methods have been found to dissolve it: molten alkali and sodium peroxide.
Iridium is very rare in nature, in the composition of the earth its amount does not exceed 1,000,000,000. As a result, one ounce of the material costs at least $ 1,000.
Iridium is widely used in various fields of human activity, especially in medicine. It is used to produce eye prostheses, hearing aids, electrodes for the brain, as well as special capsules that are implanted in cancerous tumors.
According to the theory of scientists, such a small amount of matter indicates that it is of alien origin, namely, brought by some asteroid.
Another strongest metal in the world, the name of which comes from the name of our country. It was first discovered in the Urals. Rather, platinum was found there, in which Russian scientists later discovered a new metal. It was 200 years ago.
Due to its beauty, ruthenium is often used in jewelry, but not in its pure form, because it is very rare.
Ruthenium is a noble metal. It has not only hardness, but also beauty. In terms of hardness, it is only slightly inferior to quartz. But at the same time, it is very fragile, it is easy to crush it into powder or break it by dropping it from a height. In addition, it is the lightest and most durable metal, its density is hardly thirteen grams per centimeter cubed.
For all its poor impact resistance, ruthenium is excellent at resisting high temperatures. To melt it, it is necessary to heat it to more than 2300 degrees. If this is done with an electric arc, the substance can immediately go into a gaseous state, bypassing the liquid stage.
In the composition of alloys, its use is extremely wide, even in space mechanics, for example, alloys of ruthenium and platinum metals were chosen for the manufacture of fuel elements for artificial Earth satellites.
The Swedish scientist Ekeberg was the first to discover this metal on Earth. But the chemist failed to isolate it in its pure form, difficulties arose with this, which is why it received the name of the Greek hero of myths, Tantalus. Tantalum began to be actively used only during the Second World War.
Tantalum is a solid, durable silver-colored metal, exhibits little activity at ordinary temperatures, oxidizes only when heated above 280 ° C, and melts only at almost 3300 Kelvin.
Despite its strength, tantalum is quite ductile, approximately like gold, and working with it is not difficult.
Tantalum can be used as a substitute for stainless steels, the service life can vary by as much as twenty years.
Tantalum is also used:
- in aviation for the manufacture of heat-resistant parts;
- in chemistry as part of anti-corrosion alloys;
- in nuclear power, because it is extremely resistant to cesium vapor;
- medicine for the manufacture of implants and prostheses;
- in computer technology for the production of superconductors;
- in military affairs for various kinds of shells;
- in jewelry, because when oxidized, it can acquire various shades.
This metal is considered biogenic, which means it can positively influence living organisms. For example, the amount of chromium regulates cholesterol levels. If chromium in the body is less than six milligrams, then this leads to a sharp increase in blood cholesterol. Chromium ions can be obtained, for example, from barley, duck, liver or beets.
Chromium is refractory, does not react to moisture and does not oxidize (only when heated above 600°C).
Metal is actively used to create chrome plating, dental crowns
This long-lasting metal was formerly called glucinium because people noted its sweetish taste. In addition, this substance has many more amazing properties. He is reluctant to enter into chemical reactions. Extremely durable: it has been experimentally established that a millimeter thick beryllium wire is able to hold an adult on the weight. For comparison, aluminum wire can withstand only twelve kilograms.
Beryllium is highly toxic. When ingested, it is able to replace magnesium in the bones, a condition called berylliosis. It is accompanied by a dry cough and swelling of the lungs, which can lead to death. Toxicity is perhaps the only significant disadvantage of beryllium for humans. Otherwise, it has a lot of advantages and a lot of ways to use it: heavy industry, nuclear fuel, aviation and astronautics, metallurgy, medicine.
Beryllium is very light compared to some alkali metals.
This durable metal is even more expensive than iridium (and second only to California). However, it is used in areas where the result is more important than the cost of it: for the production medical equipment to the world's best clinics. In addition, it can be used to make electrical contacts, parts of measuring equipment and expensive watches like Rolex, electron microscopes, military warheads. Thanks to osmium, they become stronger and withstand higher temperatures, up to extreme ones.
Osmium does not occur in nature on its own, only paired with rhodium, so after extraction, the task is to separate their atoms. Less common is osmium in a "set" with platinum, copper and some other ores.
Only a few tens of kilograms of matter are produced per year on the planet.
This metal has a very strong structure. It itself is whitish in color, and when crushed into a powder it becomes black. The metal is very rare and is mined in conjunction with other ores and minerals. The concentration of rhenium in nature is negligible.
Due to the incredible high cost, the substance is used only in cases of emergency. Previously, its alloys, due to their heat resistance, were used in aviation and rocket science, including for equipping supersonic fighters. It was this area that was the main point of world consumption of rhenium, making it a material for military-strategic purposes.
Rhenium is used to make filaments and springs for measuring instruments, self-cleaning contacts and special catalysts needed to produce gasoline. This is what in recent years has increased the demand for rhenium at times. The world market is ready to literally fight for this rare metal.
All over the world there is only one of its full-fledged deposits, and it is located in Russia, the second, much less - in Finland
Scientists have invented a new substance, which in its properties can become stronger than known metals. It was called "Liquid Metal". Experiments with him began quite recently, but he has already proven himself. It is quite possible that in the near future "Liquid-metal" will replace the metals so well known to us.
The use of metals in everyday life began at the dawn of human development, and copper was the first metal, since it is available in nature and can be easily processed. No wonder archaeologists during excavations find various products and household utensils made of this metal. In the process of evolution, people gradually learned to combine various metals, obtaining more and more durable alloys suitable for the manufacture of tools, and later weapons. In our time, experiments continue, thanks to which it is possible to identify the most durable metals in the world.
Titanium opens our rating - high-strength solid metal which immediately attracted attention. The properties of titanium are: high specific strength; resistance to high temperatures; low density; corrosion resistance; mechanical and chemical resistance
9 Uranus
The most famous element, which is considered one of the strongest metals in the world, and under normal conditions is a weak radioactive metal. In nature, it is found both in a free state and in acidic sedimentary rocks. It is quite heavy, widely distributed throughout the world and has paramagnetic properties, flexibility, malleability, and relative plasticity. Uranium is used in many areas of production.
8 Tungsten
Known as the most refractory metal of all existing, and belongs to the strongest metals in the world. It is a solid transitional element of a brilliant silver-gray color. Possesses the high durability, excellent infusibility, resistance to chemical influences. Due to its properties, it can be forged and drawn into a thin thread. Known as a tungsten filament.
Among the representatives of this group, it is considered a transition metal of high density, silvery-white in color. It occurs in nature in its pure form, but is found in molybdenum and copper raw materials. It features high hardness and density, and has excellent refractoriness. It has increased strength, which is not lost with repeated temperature changes. Rhenium belongs to expensive metals and has a high cost. Used in modern technology and electronics.
A shiny silvery white metal with a slightly bluish tint, belongs to the platinum group and is considered one of the most durable metals in the world. Similar to iridium, it has a high atomic density, high strength and hardness. Since osmium belongs to platinum metals, it has properties similar to iridium: refractoriness, hardness, brittleness, resistance to mechanical stress, as well as to the influence of aggressive environments. Has found wide application in surgery, electron microscopy, chemical industry, rocket technology, electronic equipment.
5 Beryllium
Belongs to the group of metals, and is a light gray element with relative hardness and high toxicity. Due to its unique properties, beryllium is used in the most various fields production: nuclear power; aerospace engineering; metallurgy; laser technology; nuclear energy. Due to its high hardness, beryllium is used in the production of alloying alloys and refractory materials.
4 Chrome
Chromium is next in the top ten most durable metals in the world - a hard, high-strength bluish-white metal that is resistant to alkalis and acids. It occurs naturally in its pure form and is widely used in various industries science, technology and production. Chromium Used to create various alloys that are used in the manufacture of medical and chemical technological equipment. In combination with iron, it forms a ferrochromium alloy, which is used in the manufacture of metal-cutting tools.
Tantalum deserves bronze in the ranking, as it is one of the most durable metals in the world. It is a silvery metal with high hardness and atomic density. Due to the formation of an oxide film on its surface, it has a lead tint. Distinctive properties of tantalum are high strength, refractoriness, resistance to corrosion and aggressive media. The metal is a fairly ductile metal and can be easily machined. Today tantalum is successfully used: in the chemical industry; in the construction of nuclear reactors; in metallurgical production; when creating heat-resistant alloys.
2 Ruthenium
The second line of the ranking of the most durable metals in the world is occupied by ruthenium - a silvery metal belonging to the platinum group. Its feature is the presence in the composition of the muscle tissue of living organisms. Valuable properties of ruthenium are high strength, hardness, refractoriness, chemical resistance, and the ability to form complex compounds. Ruthenium is considered a catalyst for many chemical reactions, acts as a material for the manufacture of electrodes, contacts, and sharp tips.
1 Iridium
The rating of the most durable metals in the world is headed by iridium - a silvery-white, hard and refractory metal that belongs to the platinum group. In nature, a high-strength element is extremely rare, and is often combined with osmium. Due to its natural hardness, it is difficult to machine and highly resistant to chemicals. Iridium reacts with great difficulty to the effects of halogens and sodium peroxide. This metal plays an important role in everyday life. It is added to titanium, chromium and tungsten to improve acid resistance, used in the manufacture of stationery, used in jewelry to create jewelry. The cost of iridium remains high due to its limited presence in nature.
Most of the elements of the periodic table refers to metals. They differ in physical and chemical characteristics, but have common 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 bright color variety of 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 state that chromium is the hardest metal of all that exists 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 bichromate (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.
When we are talking about hard and durable metal, then in his imagination a person immediately draws a warrior with a sword and in armor. Well, or with a saber, and always from Damascus steel. But steel, although strong, is not a pure metal; it is obtained by alloying iron with carbon and some other metal additives. And if necessary, the steel is subjected to processing to change its properties.
Lightweight, durable silver-white metal
Each of the additives, be it chromium, nickel or vanadium, is responsible for a certain quality. But titanium is added for strength - the hardest alloys are obtained.According to one version, the metal got its name from the Titans, powerful and fearless children of the Earth goddess Gaia. But according to another version, the silvery substance is named after the fairy queen Titania.
Titanium was discovered by German and English chemists Gregor and Klaproth independently of each other with a difference of six years. It happened at the end of the 18th century. The substance immediately took its place in Mendeleev's periodic system. Three decades later, the first sample of metallic titanium was obtained. And for a long time, the metal was not used because of its fragility. Exactly before 1925 - it was then, after a series of experiments, pure titanium was obtained by the iodide method. The discovery was a real breakthrough. Titanium turned out to be technologically advanced, designers and engineers immediately drew attention to it. And now metal is obtained from ore, mainly by the magnesium-thermal method, which was proposed in 1940.
If you touch physical properties titanium, we can note its high specific strength, strength at high temperatures, low density and corrosion resistance. The mechanical strength of titanium is twice that of iron and six times that of aluminum. At high temperatures, where light alloys no longer work (based on magnesium and aluminum), titanium alloys come to the rescue. For example, an airplane at an altitude of 20 kilometers develops a speed three times higher than the speed of sound. And the temperature of its case is about 300 degrees Celsius. Only titanium alloy can withstand such loads.
In terms of prevalence in nature, the metal ranks tenth. Titanium is mined in South Africa, Russia, China, Ukraine, Japan and India. And it's far from complete list countries.
Titanium is the strongest and lightest metal in the world
The list of possibilities for the use of metal is respected. These are the military industry, osteoprostheses in medicine, jewelry and sports products, boards mobile phones and much more. Designers of rocket, aircraft, and shipbuilding are constantly elevating titanium. Even chemical industry did not leave the metal unattended. Titanium is excellent for casting, because the contours during casting are accurate and have a smooth surface. The arrangement of atoms in titanium is amorphous. And it guarantees high tensile strength, toughness, excellent magnetic properties.
Hardest metals with the highest density
Osmium and iridium are also among the hardest metals. These are substances from the platinum group, they have the highest, almost identical, density.Iridium was discovered in 1803. The metal was discovered by a chemist from England, Smithson Tennat, during the study of natural platinum from South America. By the way, from the ancient Greek "iridium" is translated as "rainbow".
The hardest metal is quite difficult to obtain, since it is almost non-existent in nature. And often the metal is found in meteorites that have fallen to the ground. According to scientists, the content of iridium on our planet should be much higher. But due to the properties of the metal - siderophilicity - it is located at the very depths of the earth's interior.
Iridium is quite difficult to process both thermally and chemically. The metal does not react with acids, even combinations of acids at temperatures below 100 degrees. At the same time, the substance is subject to oxidation processes in aqua regia (this is a mixture of hydrochloric and nitric acids).
Interest as a source electrical energy, represents the iridium isotope 193 m 2. Since the half-life of the metal is 241 years. Iridium has found wide application in paleontology and industry. It is used in the manufacture of nibs for pens and the determination of the age of different layers of the earth.
But osmium was discovered a year later than iridium. This hard metal was found in the chemical composition of the precipitate of platinum, which was dissolved in aqua regia. And the name "osmium" came from the ancient Greek word for "smell". The metal is not subject to mechanical stress. At the same time, one liter of osmium is several times heavier than ten liters of water. However, this property is still unused.
Osmium is mined in American and Russian mines. Its deposit is also rich in South Africa. Quite often, the metal is found in iron meteorites. For specialists, osmium-187 is of interest, which is exported only from Kazakhstan. It is used to determine the age of meteorites. It is worth noting that just one gram of the isotope costs 10 thousand dollars.
Well, they use osmium in industry. And not in its pure form, but in the form of a hard alloy with tungsten. Produced from the substance of incandescent lamps. Osmium is a catalyst in the manufacture of ammonia. Rarely, cutting parts are made of metal for the needs of surgery.
The hardest pure metal
The hardest of the purest metals on the planet is chromium. It is highly machinable. The bluish-white metal was discovered in 1766 in the vicinity of Yekaterinburg. The mineral then received the name "Siberian red lead". Its modern name is crocoite. A few years after the discovery, namely, in 1797, the French chemist Vauquelin isolated a new metal from the metal, already refractory. Experts today believe that the resulting substance is chromium carbide. 
The name of this element is derived from the Greek "color", because the metal itself is famous for the variety of colors of its compounds. Chromium is quite easy to find in nature, it is common. You can find metal in South Africa, which ranks first in terms of production, as well as in Kazakhstan, Zimbabwe, Russia and Madagascar. There are deposits in Turkey, Armenia, India, Brazil and the Philippines. Specialists especially appreciate some chromium compounds - these are chromium iron ore and crocoite.
The hardest metal in the world is tungsten
Wolfram is chemical element, the hardest when considered along with other metals. Its melting point is unusually high, only carbon is higher, but it is not a metallic element.But the natural hardness of tungsten at the same time does not deprive it of flexibility and pliability, which allows forging any necessary details from it. It is its flexibility and heat resistance that makes tungsten an ideal material for melting small parts. lighting fixtures and TV parts, for example.
Tungsten is also used in more serious areas, for example, weapons manufacturing - for the manufacture of counterweights and artillery shells. This tungsten owes its high density, which makes it the main substance of heavy alloys. The density of tungsten is close in value to gold - only a few tenths make up the difference.
On the site, you can read which metals are the softest, how they are used, and what they are made of.
Subscribe to our channel in Yandex.Zen
Can you imagine what would have happened if our ancestors had not discovered important metals such as silver, gold, copper and iron? Probably, we would still live in huts, using stone as the main tool. It is the strength of the metal that played an important role in shaping our past and now works as the basis on which we build the future.
Some of them are very soft and literally melt in the hands, like. Others are so hard that they cannot be bent, scratched or broken without the use of special equipment.
And if you are wondering which metals are the hardest and most durable in the world, we will answer this question, taking into account various estimates of the relative hardness of materials (Mohs scale, Brinell method), as well as parameters such as:
- Young's modulus: takes into account the elasticity of an element in tension, that is, the ability of an object to resist elastic deformation.
- Yield Strength: Determines the maximum tensile strength of a material after which it begins to exhibit plastic behavior.
- Ultimate Tensile Strength: The ultimate mechanical stress after which a material begins to break.
This metal has three advantages at once: it is strong, dense and very resistant to corrosion. In addition, this element belongs to the group of refractory metals such as tungsten. To melt tantalum, you have to make a fire with a temperature of 3017 °C.
Tantalum is mainly used in the electronics sector to produce long-lasting, heavy-duty capacitors for phones, home computers, cameras, and even electronic devices in cars.
But it is better not to approach this handsome metal man without protective equipment. Because beryllium is highly toxic, and has a carcinogenic and allergic effect. If you inhale air containing dust or vapors of beryllium, the disease berylliosis will occur, affecting the lungs.
However, beryllium is not only harmful, but also beneficial. For example, add just 0.5% beryllium to steel and you get springs that are resilient even when brought to red heat. They withstand billions of load cycles.
Beryllium is used in the aerospace industry to create thermal shields and guidance systems, to create refractory materials. And even the vacuum tube of the Large Hadron Collider is made of beryllium.
This naturally occurring radioactive substance is very widespread in the earth's crust, but concentrated in certain hard rock formations.
One of the hardest metals in the world has two commercially significant uses − nuclear weapon and nuclear reactors. Thus, the end products of the uranium industry are bombs and radioactive waste.
As a pure substance, iron is not as hard as other participants in the rating. But because of the minimal mining costs, it is often combined with other elements to make steel.
Steel is a very strong alloy of iron and other elements such as carbon. It is the most commonly used material in construction, engineering and other industries. And even if you have nothing to do with them, you still use steel every time you cut food with a knife (unless, of course, it is ceramic).
Titanium is practically synonymous with strength. It has an impressive specific strength (30-35 km), which is almost twice as high as that of alloyed steels.
Being a refractory metal, titanium is highly resistant to heat and abrasion, making it one of the most popular alloys. For example, it can be alloyed with iron and carbon.
If you need a very solid and at the same time very light construction, then there is no better metal than titanium. This makes it the number one choice for creating various parts in the aircraft, rocket and shipbuilding industries.
This is very, which, although it occurs in nature in its pure form, usually comes as an "add-on" - an admixture to molybdenite.
If the Iron Man suit were made of rhenium, it could withstand temperatures of 2000°C without losing strength. We will keep silent about what would happen to Iron Man himself inside the suit after such a “fire show”.
Russia is the third country in the world in terms of natural reserves of rhenium. This metal is used in the petrochemical industry, electronics and electrical engineering, as well as to create aircraft and rocket engines.
On the Mohs scale, which measures the scratch resistance of chemical elements, chromium is in the top five, behind only boron, diamond and tungsten.
Chromium is valued for its high corrosion resistance and hardness. It is easier to handle than the platinum group metals and more common, which is why chromium is a popular element used in alloys such as stainless steel.
And one of the strongest metals on Earth is used in the creation of dietary supplements. Of course, you will not be ingesting pure chromium, but its food compound with other substances (for example, chromium picolinate).
Like its "brother" osmium, iridium belongs to the metals of the platinum group, and according to appearance looks like platinum. It is very hard and tough. In order to melt the iridium, you will have to build a fire at over 2000°C.
Iridium is considered one of, as well as one of the most corrosion-resistant elements.
This "tough nut" in the world of metals belongs to the platinum group and has a high density. In fact, it is the densest natural element on Earth (22.61 g/cm3). For the same reason, osmium does not melt until 3033°C.
When alloyed with other platinum group metals (such as iridium, platinum, and palladium), it can be used in many different applications where hardness and durability are needed. For example, to create containers for storing nuclear waste.
1. Tungsten
The strongest metal found in nature. This rare chemical element is also the most refractory of metals (3422°C).
It was first discovered in the form of an acid (tungsten trioxide) in 1781 by the Swedish chemist Carl Scheele. Further research led two Spanish scientists, Juan José and Fausto d'Elhuyar, to the discovery of acid from the mineral wolframite, from which they subsequently isolated tungsten using charcoal.
In addition to its wide application in incandescent lamps, tungsten's ability to work in extreme heat makes it one of the most attractive elements for the arms industry. During World War II, this metal played an important role in initiating economic and political relations between European countries.
Tungsten is also used to make hard alloys and in the aerospace industry to make rocket nozzles.
Table of tensile strength of metals
| Metal | Designation | Tensile strength, MPa |
|---|---|---|
| Lead | Pb | 18 |
| Tin | sn | 20 |
| Cadmium | CD | 62 |
| Aluminum | Al | 80 |
| Be | 140 | |
| Magnesium | mg | 170 |
| Copper | Cu | 220 |
| Cobalt | co | 240 |
| Iron | Fe | 250 |
| Niobium | Nb | 340 |
| Nickel | Ni | 400 |
| Ti | 600 | |
| Molybdenum | Mo | 700 |
| Zirconium | Zr | 950 |
| Tungsten | W | 1200 |
Alloys vs Metals
Alloys are combinations of metals and the main reason for creating them is to make the material stronger. The most important alloy is steel, which is a combination of iron and carbon.
The higher the strength of the alloy, the better. And ordinary steel is not the “champion” here. Alloys based on vanadium steel seem especially promising to metallurgists: several companies produce variants with a tensile strength of up to 5205 MPa.
And the strongest and hardest biocompatible materials on this moment is an alloy of titanium with β-Ti3Au gold.
Loading...