According to research conducted by a national laboratory of the Department of Energy in the United States, zirconium occurs in meteorites, second-order giant stars, on the Sun, and in lunar rocks. The latter contain a surprisingly large amount of the metal — by preliminary estimate significantly exceeding Earth’s reserves.
In the Earth’s crust, according to various data, zirconium content is from 0.016% to 0.025% by mass. The main sources of the metal are the minerals baddeleyite (simple Zr oxide) and zircon, which are mined in the Russian Federation, Brazil, the USA, Australia, South Africa, and Sri Lanka. The age of some rocks reaches 4.4 billion years.
History of the metal
Zirconium was first discovered in 1789 by German scientist Martin Heinrich Klaproth — discoverer of two more chemical elements — titanium and uranium. Studying zircon brought from Sri Lanka, the chemist found in the mineral composition 5% iron dioxide, 25% silica, and 75% of a previously unknown metal, which he named “zirconord.” Unfortunately, Klaproth was unable to isolate the chemical element from the ore. Scientists were able to obtain pure zirconium only in 1925. Two Dutch chemists (members of the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences), Jan de Boer and Anton Eduard van Arkel, by heating zirconium tetrachloride with magnesium isolated a crystalline mass of pure Zr.
Applications of zirconium in modern industry
Zirconium is a relatively new material, demand for which continuously rises. There are a large number of research and development areas related to zirconium and its derivatives: from heavy industry to everyday use.
- Nuclear power. Zirconium alloys are widely used to produce structural components of nuclear reactors, including pressure and guide tubes, fuel channels and vessels, spacer grids, and more. Zr demonstrates excellent corrosion resistance and creep resistance under irradiation, as well as low neutron absorption. It is alloyed with other metals such as tin to improve mechanical and thermal properties.
- Refractory production. In this industry the material’s chemical inertness, resistance to corrosion and erosion, high strength, and poor solubility in molten metals and silicas are valued.
- 3D printing. Zirconium oxide suspensions are well suited for 3D printing, in particular for creating dental prostheses in exact accordance with required shapes.
- Polymer industry. Zirconium particles are used as elastomer constituents in manufacturing gloves, ensuring strength and flexibility of the material and also imparting antibacterial properties to it.
- Woodworking. Using zirconium acrylate in producing wooden floors makes it possible to increase their service life, protect from environmental effects, and enhance fire protection.
- Ceramics manufacture. Adding zirconium compounds to ceramic products, in particular tile materials, improves their physical-chemical properties. This industry consumes about 54% of mined zirconium.
- Creating implants. Properties of zirconium oxide are ideally suited for biomedicine, in particular for producing implants. High toughness and strength make it possible to use the material as a structural substitute for bones, hips, and dental parts.
- “Green” energy. In solar batteries titanium dioxide is usually used as a semiconductor, which is alloyed with zirconium to increase efficiency.
- Paper production. Glyoxal is traditionally used for bonding and coloring paper coatings. However, zirconium compounds successfully replace it while raising the quality of finished products.
- Catalyst production. Thanks to its versatility and availability, zirconium is very often used in conducting various chemical reactions (hydrogenation, oxidation, amination, isomerization, and pyrolysis). One of the new directions is carbon capture and storage
- Creating artificial diamonds. Cubic zirconia is an optically transparent single crystal with a high refractive index. It does not lose its color and luster. The shade of semi-precious stones depends on alloying additions used in production.
One of the main application areas of zirconium is production of advanced ceramics for creating components of process equipment, instruments, or machines. The material has higher physical-chemical properties than metals and polymers used for the same purposes. Zirconium is fairly hard, conducts heat poorly, and is relatively inert (does not react with other elements) — all of this is highly valued in advanced ceramics. Zirconium oxide can be used to produce crucibles for melting metals, gas turbines, lining of jet and rocket engine tubes, and lining of walls of high-temperature furnaces.
