Hafnium

Hafnium is a chemical element. It has the chemical symbol Hf. It has the atomic number 72. It is a metal. It is silver gray. In chemistry it is placed in a group of metal elements named the transition metals. The chemistry of hafnium is similar to zirconium.

Hafnium Crystal Bar, mady by Crystal bar process

Hafnium is found in zirconium minerals. Separating hafnium from zirconium is important for their use in nuclear power plants. The two metals are very similar, so it is difficult to separate them.^[1]

Hafnium is used in tungsten alloys in filaments and electrodes. It is also used as a neutron absorber in control rods in nuclear power plants.

Related pages

• Periodic table
• List of common elements