osmium

osmium is a hard, brittle, blue-gray or blue-black transition metal in the periodic table with the symbol Os and atomic number 76, discovered by Smithson Tennant in 1803, and named after the Greek language word for "smell", due to the characteristic odor of its oxides, similar to the oxides of ruthenium and iridium, which are also found in the same group as platinum and palladium. Osmium is often found in meteorites and asteroids, and is also used in fountain pen nibs, electric contacts, and implantable medical devices, due to its extremely high density and hardness, which are among the highest of all naturally occurring elements, including tungsten and uranium. The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) has established the official atomic weight of osmium, which is used as a reference standard in laboratories around the world, including the National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the European Laboratory for Non-linear Spectroscopy (LENS). Osmium is also used in the production of catalytic converters for automobiles, which are manufactured by companies such as BASF and Johnson Matthey, and are used to reduce emissions of nitrogen oxides and particulate matter.

Introduction

Osmium is a member of the platinum group of elements, which also includes rhodium, iridium, palladium, and ruthenium, and is often found in ores with these elements, such as sperrylite and laurelite, which are mined in South Africa and Russia. The extraction of osmium from these ores is a complex process, which involves the use of solvent extraction and ion exchange techniques, developed by researchers at institutions such as the University of California, Berkeley and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Osmium is also used in the production of high-performance alloys, which are used in aerospace engineering and nuclear reactors, designed by companies such as Boeing and General Electric. The properties of osmium make it an ideal material for these applications, including its high melting point and corrosion resistance, which are similar to those of titanium and zirconium.

Properties

The physical properties of osmium include its high density of 22.59 g/cm³, which is the highest of all naturally occurring elements, including tungsten and uranium, and its high melting point of 3033 K, which is one of the highest of all elements, including carbon and tungsten. Osmium also has a high Young's modulus of 222 GPa, which is similar to that of titanium and zirconium, and a high Poisson's ratio of 0.25, which is similar to that of copper and silver. The chemical properties of osmium include its high reactivity with oxygen and chlorine, which are used to produce osmium tetroxide and osmium hexachloride, respectively, and its low reactivity with water and acids, which makes it a useful material for corrosion-resistant applications, such as implantable medical devices and fountain pen nibs, designed by companies such as Medtronic and Parker Pen.

Occurrence

Osmium is found in meteorites and asteroids, and is also extracted from ores such as sperrylite and laurelite, which are mined in South Africa and Russia. The extraction of osmium from these ores is a complex process, which involves the use of solvent extraction and ion exchange techniques, developed by researchers at institutions such as the University of California, Berkeley and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). Osmium is also found in platinum group deposits, which are mined in Canada and Australia, and are used to produce catalytic converters for automobiles, which are manufactured by companies such as BASF and Johnson Matthey. The geology of osmium is closely related to that of platinum and palladium, which are also found in platinum group deposits, and are used in jewelry and electronic components, designed by companies such as Tiffany & Co. and Intel.

Applications

Osmium is used in a variety of applications, including fountain pen nibs, electric contacts, and implantable medical devices, due to its extremely high density and hardness, which are among the highest of all naturally occurring elements, including tungsten and uranium. Osmium is also used in the production of catalytic converters for automobiles, which are manufactured by companies such as BASF and Johnson Matthey, and are used to reduce emissions of nitrogen oxides and particulate matter. The aerospace industry also uses osmium in the production of high-performance alloys, which are used in rocket engines and nuclear reactors, designed by companies such as Boeing and General Electric. Osmium is also used in electronic components, such as connectors and switches, designed by companies such as Intel and Texas Instruments.

History

The discovery of osmium is attributed to Smithson Tennant in 1803, who isolated the element from platinum ore and named it after the Greek language word for "smell", due to the characteristic odor of its oxides. The history of osmium is closely related to that of platinum and palladium, which were also discovered in the early 19th century by researchers such as Antoine Lavoisier and Humphry Davy. The production of osmium has increased significantly over the years, with major producers including South Africa and Russia, and companies such as Anglo American and Norilsk Nickel. The price of osmium has also fluctuated over the years, due to changes in demand and supply, and is currently traded on the London Metal Exchange (LME) and the New York Mercantile Exchange (NYMEX).

Isotopes

Osmium has seven naturally occurring isotopes, including osmium-184, osmium-186, osmium-187, osmium-188, osmium-189, osmium-190, and osmium-192, which are used in geology and archaeology to date rocks and artifacts, and are also used in medicine to produce radioisotopes for cancer treatment, designed by companies such as Varian Medical Systems and Siemens Healthineers. The isotopes of osmium are also used in scientific research, including nuclear physics and materials science, conducted by researchers at institutions such as the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) and the Los Alamos National Laboratory (LANL). The properties of osmium isotopes are closely related to those of platinum and palladium isotopes, which are also used in scientific research and industrial applications, designed by companies such as General Electric and 3M. Category:Chemical elements