Ruthenium (Ru) - Properties, Applications

Topics Covered

Introduction
Chemical Properties
Physical Properties
Mechanical Properties
Thermal Properties
Applications

Introduction

Ruthenium is a rare transition metal that belongs to group 8 and period 5 of the periodic table. Like other platinum group metals, ruthenium is inert to most chemical reactions. This element is generally found in ores of other platinum group metals in the Ural Mountains of South and North America. Commercially, it is obtained from pentlandite, a sulfide of nickel and iron.

Naturally occurring ruthenium consists of seven stable isotopes. It reacts with molten alkali and halogens and oxidizes explosively. The metal remains unaffected by air, acids and water. Ruthenium and its compounds are suspected carcinogens, and ruthenium tetraoxide is a highly toxic compound.

Chemical Properties

The chemical properties of ruthenium are provided in the table below.

Physical Properties

The following table discusses the physical properties of ruthenium.

Mechanical Properties

The mechanical properties of ruthenium are tabulated below.

Thermal Properties

The thermal properties of ruthenium are tabulated below.

Applications

Ruthenium finds use in electronic industry for manufacturing electrical contacts and chip resistors as well as in chemical industry for use as anodes for chlorine production in electrochemical cells.

The metal also serves as a hardener for platinum and palladium and versatile catalyst in removing H₂S from oil refineries and other industrial processes. It is also used to produce thin films of pure ruthenium on substrates, which shows promising properties for use in microchips.