Top 10 strongest metals in the world. The hardest metal - what is it like? Distribution and stocks

There are many metals in the world that are identical in terms of hardness, but not all of them are widely used in industry. There may be several reasons for this: rarity and therefore high cost, or radioactivity, which prevents its use for human needs. Among the hardest metals, there are 6 leaders who conquered the world with their characteristics.

The hardness of metals is usually measured on the Mohs scale. The method of measuring hardness is based on the assessment of resistance to scratches by other metals. Thus, it was determined that uranium and tungsten have the highest hardness. However, there are metals that are more used in various spheres of life, although their hardness is not the highest on the Mohs scale. Therefore, when revealing the topic of the hardest metals, it would be wrong not to mention the famous titanium, chromium, osmium and iridium.

When asked what is the hardest metal, any person studying chemistry and physics at school will answer: "Titanium". Of course, there are alloys and even nuggets in pure form that surpass it in strength. But among those used in everyday life and production, titanium has no equal.

Pure titanium was first obtained in 1925 and at the same time was declared the hardest metal on Earth. It immediately began to be actively used in completely different areas of production - from parts of missiles and air transport to dental implants. Several of its main properties have become the merit of such popularity of the metal: high mechanical strength, resistance to corrosion and high temperatures, and low density. On the Mohs scale of hardness of metals, titanium has a grade of 4.5, which is not the highest indicator. However, its popularity and involvement in various industries makes it the first hardest among the frequently used ones.

Titanium is the hardest metal commonly used in manufacturing

More details about the use of titanium in industry. This metal has a wide range of uses:

  • Aviation industry - aircraft glider parts, gas turbines, plating, load-bearing elements, chassis parts, rivets, etc .;
  • Space technology - plating, details;
  • Shipbuilding - ship cladding, pump and pipeline parts, navigation instruments, turbine engines, steam boilers;
  • Mechanical engineering - turbine condensers, pipes, wear-resistant elements;
  • Oil and gas industry - pipes for drilling, pumps, pressure vessels;
  • Automotive industry - in the mechanisms of valves and exhaust systems, transmission shafts, bolts, springs;
  • Construction - exterior and interior cladding of buildings, roofing materials, light fixtures and even monuments;
  • Medicine - surgical instruments, prostheses, implants, housings for cardiological devices;
  • Sports - sports equipment, travel accessories, bicycle parts.
  • Goods popular consumption – Jewelry, decorative items, garden tools, wrist watch, kitchen utensils, electronics housings and even bells, and are also added to paints, white, plastic and paper.

You can see that titanium is in demand in completely different areas of industry due to its physical and chemical properties. Even though it is not the hardest metal in the world on the Mohs scale, products made of it are much stronger and lighter than steel, wear less and are more resistant to irritants.


Titanium is considered the hardest of the actively consumed metals.

The hardest metal in its natural form is considered to be a bluish-white metal - chrome. It was discovered back in the late 18th century and has been widely used in production ever since. On the Mohs scale, the hardness of chromium is 5. And for good reason - they can cut glass, and when combined with iron, it can even cut metal. Chromium is also actively used in metallurgy - it is added to steel to improve its physical properties. The range of uses for chromium is very diverse. It is used to make barrels of firearms, medical and chemical processing equipment, household items - kitchen utensils, metal parts of furniture, and even hulls of submarines.


Highest pure hardness - chrome

Chromium is used in various fields, for example, for the production of stainless steel, or for surface coating - chrome plating (equipment, cars, parts, dishes). This metal is often used in the manufacture of firearm barrels. Also, this metal can often be found in the production of dyes and pigments. Another area of ​​its use may seem surprising - it is the production of dietary supplements, and in the creation technological equipment for chemical and medical laboratories, chromium is indispensable.

Osmium and iridium - representatives of platinum group metals, have almost the same density. In their pure form in nature, they are incredibly rare, and most often - in alloy with each other. Iridium by its nature has a high hardness, which is why it is difficult to metal work, both mechanical and chemical.


Osmium and Iridium have the highest density

Iridium has been actively used in industry relatively recently. Previously, it was used with caution, since its physicochemical characteristics were not fully understood. Now iridium is even used in the manufacture of jewelry (as inlays or in an alloy with platinum), surgical instruments and parts for heart stimulants. In medicine, the metal is simply irreplaceable: its biological products can help to overcome oncology, and its irradiation with a radioactive isotope can stop the growth of cancer cells.

Two-thirds of the iridium mined in the world goes to the chemical industry, and the rest is distributed among other industries - spraying in the metallurgical industry, consumer goods (fountain pen elements, jewelry), medicine in the production of electrodes, elements of pacemakers and surgical instruments, as well as for improvement of physicochemical and mechanical properties metals.


Moss hardness of iridium - 5

Osmium is a silvery white metal with a bluish sheen. It was discovered a year later than iridium, and now it is often found in iron meteorites. In addition to its high hardness, osmium is distinguished by its high cost - 1 gram of pure metal is estimated at 10 thousand dollars. Another feature is its weight - 1 liter of molten osmium is equal to 10 liters of water. True, scientists have not yet found an application for this property.

Because of its rarity and high cost, osmium is only used where no other metal can be used. They never found widespread use for it, and there is no point in searching until the supply of metal becomes regular. Osmium is now used to make tools that require high precision. Products made from it hardly wear out and have significant durability.


The hardness index of osmium reaches 5.5

One of the most famous elements and one of the hardest metals in the world is uranium. It is a light gray metal with low radioactivity. Uranium is considered one of the heaviest metals - its specific gravity is 19 times that of water. It also has relative ductility, ductility and flexibility, and paramagnetic properties. On the Moss scale, the hardness of the metal is 6, which is considered a very high indicator.

Previously, uranium was almost never used, but was found only as ore waste in the extraction of other metals - radium and vanadium. Today, uranium is mined in deposits, the main sources are the Rocky Mountains of the United States, the Republic of the Congo, Canada and the Union of South Africa.

Despite the radioactivity, uranium is actively consumed by mankind. Most demanded in nuclear power- it is used as fuel for nuclear reactors... Also uranium is used in chemical industry and in geology - for age determination rocks.

Didn't miss incredible indicators specific gravity and military engineering. Uranium is regularly used to create cores for armor-piercing projectiles, which, due to their high strength, do an excellent job with the task.


Uranium is the hardest metal, but it is radioactive

Topping our list of the hardest metals on Earth is brilliant silver-gray tungsten. On the Mohs scale, tungsten has a hardness of 6, like uranium, but, unlike the latter, it is not radioactive. Natural hardness, however, does not deprive it of flexibility, so tungsten is ideal for forging various metal products, and its resistance to high temperatures allows it to be used in lighting fixtures and electronics. The consumption of tungsten does not reach high speeds, and the main reason for this is its limited quantity in the deposits.

Due to its high density, tungsten is widely used in weaponry for the production of heavyweights and artillery shells. In general, tungsten is actively used in military engineering - bullets, counterweights, ballistic missiles. The next most popular use of this metal is aviation. Engines, parts of electric vacuum devices are made from it. Tungsten cutting tools are used in construction. It is also an indispensable element in the production of varnishes and light-resistant paints, fire-resistant and waterproof fabrics.


Tungsten is considered the most refractory and durable

Having studied the properties and areas of consumption of each metal, it is difficult to say unambiguously which hard metal in the world, if we take into account not only the indicators of the Mohs scale. Each of the representatives has a number of advantages. For example, titanium, which does not have an ultra-high hardness, has firmly taken the first place among the most used metals. But uranium, the hardness of which reaches the highest mark among metals, is not so popular due to its weak radioactivity. And tungsten, which does not emit radiation and has the highest strength and very good compliance indicators, cannot be actively used due to limited resources.

People began to use metal in ancient times. The most accessible metal in nature and amenable to processing is copper. Copper items in the form of household utensils are found by archaeologists during excavations of ancient settlements. With the growth of technological progress, a person learned to make alloys from various metals, which were useful to him in the manufacture of household items and weapons. This is how the strongest metal in the world was born.

Titanium

This unusually beautiful silver-white metal was discovered almost simultaneously at the end of the 18th century by two scientists - the Englishman W. Gregory and the German M. Klaproth. According to one version, the titan got its name in honor of the characters of ancient Greek myths, the mighty Titans, according to another - from Titania, the queen of the fairies from Germanic mythology - because of its lightness. However, then no use was found for him.


Then in 1925, physicists from Holland were able to isolate pure titanium and discovered many of its benefits. It - high rates processability, specific strength and resistance to corrosion, very high strength at high temperatures. Also has high corrosion resistance. These fantastic performance immediately attracted engineers and designers.

In 1940, the scientist Krol obtained pure titanium using the magnesium-thermal method, and since then this method has been the main one. The strongest metal on earth is mined in many places in the world - Russia, Ukraine, China, South Africa and others.


Titanium is twice as strong as iron in terms of mechanical properties, six times stronger than aluminum. Titanium alloys are currently the most durable in the world, and therefore have found application in the military (submarine, missile construction), shipbuilding and aviation industries (on supersonic aircraft).

This metal is also incredibly plastic, so any shape can be made from it - sheets, pipes, wire, tape. Titanium is widely used for the manufacture of medical prostheses (while it is biologically ideally compatible with the tissues of the human body), jewelry, sports equipment, etc.


It is also used in chemical production due to its anti-corrosion properties; this metal does not corrode in an aggressive environment. So, for testing purposes, a titanium plate was placed in sea water, and for 10 years it did not even rust!

Due to its high electrical resistance and non-magnetizing properties, it is widely used in radio electronics, for example, in structural parts. mobile phones... The use of titanium in the field of dentistry is very promising, its ability to grow together with human bone tissue is especially important, which gives strength and solidity during prosthetics. It is widely used in the manufacture of medical instruments.


Uranus

The natural oxidizing properties of uranium were used in antiquity (1st century BC) in the manufacture of yellow glaze in ceramic products... One of the most famous in world practice durable metals, it is weakly radioactive and is used in the production of nuclear fuel. The twentieth century was even called "the age of Uranus". This metal is paramagnetic.


Uranium is 2.5 times heavier than iron, forms many chemical compounds, its alloys with elements such as tin, lead, aluminum, mercury, and iron are used in production.

Tungsten

This is not only the strongest metal in the world, but also very rare, which is not even mined anywhere, but was obtained by chemical means back in 1781 in Sweden. The most temperature-resistant metal in the world. Due to its high refractoriness, it lends itself well to forging, while it is pulled into a thin thread.


Its most famous application is tungsten filament in light bulbs. It is widely used for the production of special tools (cutters, cutters, surgical) and in jewelry production. Due to its property not to transmit radioactive rays, containers for storing nuclear waste are produced from it. Tungsten deposits in Russia are located in Altai, Chukotka, and the North Caucasus.

Rhenium

It got its name in Germany (the Rhine River), where it was discovered in 1925, the metal itself is white. It is mined both in pure form (Kuril Islands), and in the extraction of molybdenum and copper raw materials, but in very small quantities.


The hardest metal on earth is very hard and dense, melts perfectly. The strength is high and does not depend on temperature changes, the disadvantage is the high cost, toxic to humans. Used in electronics and aircraft industries.

Osmium

The heaviest element, for example, a kilogram of osmium, looks like a ball that fits easily in your hand. Refers to the platinum group of metals, the price is several times higher than gold. It got its name from the bad smell in a chemical reaction carried out by the English scientist S. Tennant in 1803.


Outwardly, it looks very beautiful: shiny silver crystals with a blue and light blue tint. It is usually used as an additive to other metals in industry (high-strength metal-ceramic cutters, blades of medical knives). Its non-magnetic and durable properties are used in the manufacture of high-precision instruments.

Beryllium

It was obtained by the chemist Paul Lebeau at the end of the 19th century. Initially, this metal was nicknamed "sweet" because of its candy taste. Then it turned out that it has other attractive and original properties, for example, it does not want to enter into any chemical reactions with other elements, with rare exceptions (halogen).


The strongest metal in the world is both hard, brittle, lightweight, and highly toxic at the same time. Its exceptional strength (for example, a wire with a diameter of 1 mm can withstand the weight of a person) is used in laser and space technology, nuclear power.

New discoveries

We can talk about very strong metals even further, but technical progress is moving forward. Scientists from California recently announced to the world the emergence of "liquid metal" (from the word "liquid"), which is superior in strength to titanium. In addition, it turned out to be super lightweight, flexible and highly durable. Therefore, scientists have to create and develop ways to use the new metal, and in the future, perhaps, to make many more discoveries.


Since they have the highest density. Among them, the heaviest are osmium and iridium. This indicator of the density of these metals is almost the same, except for a slight calculation error.

The discovery of iridium took place in 1803. It was discovered by the English chemist Smithson Tennat while researching natural platinum brought from South America. Translated from ancient Greek, the name "iridium" means "rainbow".

Scientific interest as a source electrical energy represents an isotope of a heavy metal - iridium-192m2, since this metal is very large - 241 years. Iridium is widely used in industry and paleontology - it is used for the production of pens for pens, for determining the age of the layers of the earth.

Osmium was discovered by chance in 1804. This hardest metal was discovered in chemical composition sediment of platinum dissolved in aqua regia. The name "osmium" comes from the ancient Greek word for "smell". There is almost no such metal in nature. Most often it is found in the composition. Like iridium, osmium is almost not subject to mechanical stress. One liter of osmium is much heavier than ten liters of water. But this property of this metal has not yet found application anywhere.

The hardest metal, osmium, comes from Russian and American mines. However, South Africa is recognized as the richest deposit. Osmium is often found in iron meteorites.

Osmium-187, exported only by Kazakhstan, is of particular interest. It is used to determine the age of meteorites. One gram of this isotope costs 10 thousand US dollars.

The industry mainly uses a hard alloy of osmium with tungsten (osram) for the production of incandescent lamps. Osmium is also a catalytic substance in production. Rarely enough, this metal is used to make cutting parts for instruments in surgery.

Both heavy metals - osmium and iridium - are almost always contained in the same alloy. This is a certain pattern. And to separate them, you need to make a lot of effort, because they are not as soft as, for example, silver.

Since childhood, we have known that the most durable metal is steel. Everything iron we associate with her.

Iron man, iron lady, steel character. When we say these phrases, we mean incredible strength, strength, hardness.

For a long time, steel was the main material in production and armament. But steel is not metal. More precisely, it is not entirely pure metal. This is with carbon, in which other metallic additives are present. By using additives, i.e. change its properties. After that, it is processed. Steel making is a whole science.

The strongest metal is obtained by introducing appropriate master alloys into the steel. It can be chromium, which also gives heat resistance, nickel, which makes steel hard and elastic, etc.

In some areas, steel began to replace aluminum. Time passed, the speed grew. Aluminum could not stand it either. I had to turn to a titan.

Yes, because titanium is the most durable metal. To give the steel high strength characteristics, titanium was added to it.

It was discovered in the 18th century. Due to its fragility, it was impossible to apply it. Over time, having received pure titanium, engineers and designers became interested in its high specific strength, low density, resistance to corrosion and high temperatures. Its physical strength is several times greater than that of iron.

Engineers began to add titanium to steel. The result is the most durable metal that has found application in an ultra-high temperature environment. At that time, no other alloy could withstand them.

If you imagine an airplane flying three times faster than you can imagine, how the cladding metal heats up. Sheet metal the skin of the aircraft in such conditions warms up to + 3000C.

Today titanium is used unlimitedly in all areas of production. These are medicine, aircraft construction, and shipbuilding.

With all the evidence, we can say that in the near future the titan will have to move.

Scientists from the United States, in the laboratories of the University of Texas at Austin, discovered the thinnest and most durable material on Earth. They called it graphene.

Imagine a plate as thick as one atom. But such a plate is stronger than diamond and a hundred times better conductive to electric current than computer silicon chips.

Graphene is a material with damaging properties. He will soon leave the laboratories and rightfully take his place among the most durable materials in the universe.

It is even impossible to imagine that a few grams of graphene would be enough to cover a soccer field. This is metal. Pipes made of such material can be laid manually without the use of lifting and transport mechanisms.

Graphene, like diamond, is the purest carbon. Its flexibility is amazing. Such material is easy to bend, folds perfectly and rolls up perfectly.

Manufacturers of touch screens have already begun to look closely at it, solar panels, cell phones, and finally super-fast computer chips.

01/18/2016 at 17:21 · Johnny · 110 650

Top 10 strongest metals in the world

The use of metals in Everyday life began at the dawn of the development of mankind, and the first metal was copper, since it is available in nature and is easily processed. No wonder archaeologists during excavations find various products and household utensils from 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 strongest metals in the world.

10.

  • high specific strength;
  • resistance to high temperatures;
  • low density;
  • corrosion resistance;
  • mechanical and chemical resistance.

Titanium is used in the military industry, aviation medicine, shipbuilding, and other areas of production.

9.

The most famous element, 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, ubiquitous and has paramagnetic properties, flexibility, malleability, and relative ductility. Uranium is used in many areas of production.

8.

Known as the most refractory metal in existence, it is one of the toughest metals in the world. It is a solid transitional element of a shiny silver-gray color. Possesses high strength, excellent refractoriness, chemical resistance. Due to its properties, it lends itself to forging, and stretches into a thin thread. Known as tungsten filament.

7.

Among the representatives of this group, it is considered a high-density transition metal of a silvery-white color. In nature, it occurs in its pure form, but it is found in molybdenum and copper raw materials. It is characterized by high hardness and density, and has excellent refractoriness. Has increased strength, which is not lost at multiple temperature drops. Rhenium belongs to expensive metals and has a high cost. Used in modern technology and electronics.

6.

A shiny silver-white metal with a slightly bluish tint, it belongs to the platinum group and is considered one of the most durable metals in the world. Like 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 media. It is widely used in surgery, electron microscopy, chemical industry, rocketry, electronic equipment.

5.

It 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 a wide variety of production areas:

  • nuclear power;
  • aerospace engineering;
  • metallurgy;
  • laser technology;
  • nuclear power.

Due to its high hardness, beryllium is used in the production of alloying alloys and refractory materials.

4.

The next in the top ten strongest metals in the world is chromium - a hard, high-strength metal of bluish-white color, resistant to alkalis and acids. It is found in nature in its pure form and is widely used in various branches of science, technology and production. Chromium It is used to create various alloys that are used in the manufacture of medical as well as chemical processing equipment. In combination with iron, it forms an alloy of ferrochrome, which is used in the manufacture of metal-cutting tools.

3.

Bronze in the ranking deserves tantalum, 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.

The distinctive properties of tantalum are high strength, refractoriness, corrosion resistance, and aggressive media. The metal is a fairly ductile metal and is easy to machine. Today tantalum is successfully used:

  • in the chemical industry;
  • in the construction of nuclear reactors;
  • in metallurgical production;
  • when creating heat-resistant alloys.

2.

The second place in the ranking of the most durable metals in the world is occupied by ruthenium - a silver metal belonging to the platinum group. Its peculiarity is the presence of living organisms in the muscle tissue. The 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, sharp tips.

1.

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 exposure to halogens and sodium peroxide.

This metal is playing important role in everyday life. It is added to titanium, chromium and tungsten to improve resistance to acidic environments, is used in the manufacture of stationery, and is used in jewelry to create jewelry. The cost of iridium remains high due to its limited presence in nature.

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