The strongest metal in the world. Rating of the strongest metals on the planet

Glass made of metal

Specialists from the California Institute of Technology have obtained a material that is unique in its properties - this is the strongest alloy to date - “metal glass”. The uniqueness of the new alloy is that metallic glass is made of metal, but has the internal structure of glass. Today, scientists are figuring out what exactly gives the alloy such unusual properties and how they can be introduced into alloys made from less expensive materials.

The amorphous structure of glass, unlike the crystalline structure of metal, is not protected from the propagation of cracks, which explains the fragility of glass. Metal glasses also have the same disadvantage, which also break quite easily, forming shear bands that develop into cracks.

Alloy properties

Specialists from the Californian Institute noticed that the appearance of a large number of shear bands provides high resistance to the development of cracks, due to which the opposite effect is achieved: the material bends without collapsing. It is precisely this material, the energy of producing shear bands that is much less than the energy required to turn them into cracks, that they created. “By mixing five elements, we ensured that when cooled, the material “does not know” which structure to adopt and chooses an amorphous one,” explained study participant R. Ritchie.

Metal glass

The most durable alloy - metal glass - consists of noble palladium, silicon, phosphorus, germanium with a small addition of silver (formula: Pd79Ag3.5P6Si9.5Ge2).

The new alloy showed itself in tests as a combination of mutually exclusive properties - strength and endurance at a level not previously seen in any other material. As a result, the new metallic glass combines the hardness of glass with the crack resistance of metals. Moreover, the level of rigidity and strength is within reach.

Use of material

For structural metal, the research carried out has significantly pushed back the limits of load tolerance. But, according to scientists’ forecasts, the most durable alloy may not be widely used, due to the rarity and high cost of its main component, palladium. However, developers have reported possible use of this material in medical implants (for example, for intramaxillary prostheses), as well as parts in the automotive or aerospace industries.

People began to use metal back in ancient times. The most accessible metal in nature and amenable to processing is copper. Copper products in the form of household utensils are found by archaeologists during excavations of ancient settlements. As technological progress grew, man 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 appeared.

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, titanium received its name in honor of the characters of ancient Greek myths, the mighty Titans, according to another - from Titania, the fairy queen from German mythology - because of its lightness. However, no use was found for it then.

Then in 1925, physicists in Holland were able to isolate pure titanium and discovered its many benefits. These are high indicators of manufacturability, specific strength and resistance to corrosion, very high strength at high temperatures. It also has high anti-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 mechanical terms, and six times stronger than aluminum. Titanium alloys are currently the strongest 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 malleable, so it can be made into any shape - sheets, pipes, wire, tape. Titanium is widely used for the manufacture of medical prostheses (and 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 after 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 of mobile phones. The use of titanium in the field of dentistry is very promising; its ability to fuse with human bone tissue is especially important, which gives strength and solidity in 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 production of yellow glaze in ceramic products. One of the most well-known durable metals in world practice, it is weakly radioactive and is used in the production of nuclear fuel. The 20th century was even called the “age of Uranus.” This metal has paramagnetic properties.

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 a very rare one, which is not even mined anywhere, but was obtained chemically back in 1781 in Sweden. The most temperature-resistant metal in the world. Due to its high refractoriness, it lends itself well to forging, and it can be pulled into a thin thread.

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

Rhenium

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

The strongest metal on earth is very hard and dense and melts well. Strength is high and does not depend on temperature changes, the disadvantage is high cost, toxic to humans. Used in electronics and aviation industries.

Osmium

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

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

Beryllium

It was obtained by chemist Paul Lebeau at the end of the 19th century. At first, this metal was nicknamed “sweet” because of its candy-like 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 at the same time hard, brittle, light, and also highly toxic. Its exceptional strength (for example, a wire with a diameter of 1 mm can support the weight of a person) is used in laser and space technology, and nuclear energy.

New discoveries

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

When it comes to hard and durable metal, in one’s imagination a person immediately pictures a warrior with a sword and in armor. Well, or with a saber, and definitely made of Damascus steel. But steel, although durable, is not a pure metal; it is produced by alloying iron with carbon and some other additive metals. And, if necessary, the steel is processed to change its properties.

Lightweight, durable silver-white metal

According to one version, the metal got its name from the Titans, the powerful and fearless children of the Earth goddess Gaia. But according to another version, the silvery substance is named after the fairy queen Titania.

Titanium was discovered by German and English chemists Gregor and Klaproth independently of each other, six years apart. This happened at the end of the 18th century. The substance immediately took its place in Mendeleev’s periodic table. Three decades later, the first sample of titanium metal was obtained. And the metal was not used for quite a long time due to its fragility. Exactly until 1925 - it was then, after a series of experiments, that pure titanium was obtained using the iodide method. The discovery was a real breakthrough. Titan turned out to be technologically advanced, and designers and engineers immediately paid attention to it. And now metal is obtained from ore mainly by the magnesium-thermal method, which was proposed in 1940.

If we touch upon the physical properties of titanium, we can note its high specific strength, strength at high temperatures, low density and corrosion resistance. The mechanical strength of titanium is two times higher than that of iron and six times higher than that of aluminum. At high temperatures, where light alloys no longer work (magnesium and aluminum based), titanium alloys come to the rescue. For example, an airplane at an altitude of 20 kilometers reaches a speed three times higher than the speed of sound. And the temperature of its body is about 300 degrees Celsius. Only titanium alloy can withstand such loads.

The metal ranks tenth in terms of prevalence in nature. Titanium is mined in South Africa, Russia, China, Ukraine, Japan and India. And this is not a complete list of countries.

Titanium is the world's strongest and lightest metal

The list of possibilities for using metal is respectable. These are the military industry, osteoprostheses in medicine, jewelry and sports products, mobile phone circuit boards and much more. Rocket, aircraft, and shipbuilding designers constantly praise titanium. Even the chemical industry has not left the metal unattended. Titanium is excellent for casting because the contours when cast are precise and have a smooth surface. The arrangement of atoms in titanium is amorphous. And this guarantees high tensile strength, toughness, excellent magnetic properties.

Hard metals with the highest density

Iridium was discovered in 1803. The metal was discovered by a chemist from England, Smithson Tennat, while studying natural platinum from South America. By the way, “iridium” is translated from ancient Greek as “rainbow”.

The hardest metal is quite difficult to obtain, since it is almost absent in nature. And often the metal is found in meteorites that fell to the ground. According to scientists, on our planet the content of iridium should be much higher. But due to the properties of the metal - siderophilicity - it is located at the very depths of the earth's bowels.

Iridium is quite difficult to process both thermally and chemically. The metal does not react with acids, even combinations of acids at temperatures less than 100 degrees. At the same time, the substance is subject to oxidation processes in aqua regia (this is a mixture of hydrochloric and nitric acids).

The iridium isotope 193 m 2 is of interest as a source of electrical energy. Since the half-life of the metal is 241 years. Iridium has found widespread use in paleontology and industry. It is used in making pen quills and determining the age of different layers of the earth.

But osmium was discovered a year later than iridium. This solid metal was found in the chemical composition of a precipitate of platinum, which was dissolved in aqua regia. And the name “osmium” comes from the ancient Greek word for “smell.” The metal is not subject to mechanical stress. Moreover, one liter of osmium is several times heavier than ten liters of water. However, this property has not yet been used.

Osmium is mined in American and Russian mines. Its deposits are also rich in South Africa. Quite often the metal is found in iron meteorites. Of interest to specialists is osmium-187, which is exported only from Kazakhstan. It is used to determine the age of meteorites. It is worth noting that just one gram of the isotope costs 10 thousand dollars.

Well, osmium is used in industry. And not in its pure form, but in the form of a hard alloy with tungsten. Produced from the substance of incandescent lamps. Osmium is a catalyst in the production of ammonia. Cutting parts for surgical needs are rarely made from metal.

The hardest pure metal

The name of this element is derived from the Greek “color”, because the metal itself is famous for the variety of colors of its compounds. Chromium is quite easy to find in nature and is common. You can find the metal in South Africa, which ranks first in production, as well as in Kazakhstan, Zimbabwe, Russia and Madagascar. There are deposits in Turkey, Armenia, India, Brazil and the Philippines. Experts especially value certain chromium compounds - chromium iron ore and crocoite.

The hardest metal in the world is tungsten

But the natural hardness of tungsten at the same time does not deprive it of flexibility and pliability, which allows you to forge any necessary parts from it. It is its flexibility and heat resistance that makes tungsten an ideal material for smelting small parts of lighting fixtures and TV parts, for example.

Tungsten is also used in more serious areas, for example, weapons manufacturing - for the manufacture of counterweights and artillery shells. Tungsten owes this to its high density, which makes it the main substance of heavy alloys. The density of tungsten is close to that of gold - only a few tenths make up the difference.

On the website you can read which metals are the softest, how they are used, and what is made from them.
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Metals accompany humanity almost all of its conscious life. This began, of course, with copper, since it is the most amenable to processing material and available in nature.

Evolution helped people develop significantly technically and over time they began to invent alloys that became stronger and stronger. In our time, experiments continue, and new durable alloys appear every year. Let's consider the best of them.

Titanium

Titanium is a high-strength material that is in high demand in many industries. The most common area of ​​application is aviation. This is due to the successful combination of low mass and high strength. Also, the properties of titanium are high specific strength, resistance to physical influences, temperatures and corrosion.

Uranus

One of the most durable elements. Under natural conditions, it is a weak radioactive metal. It can be found in a free state, is very heavy and is widely distributed everywhere due to its paramagnetic properties. Uranium is flexible, has high malleability and relative ductility.

Tungsten

The most refractory metal currently known. It has a silver-gray color and is a so-called transitional element. The properties of tungsten allow it to resist chemical attack and be forgeable. The most famous area of ​​application is used in incandescent lamps.

Rhenium

Silver-white metal. It can be found in nature in its pure form, but there is also molybdenum raw material in which it is also found. A distinctive feature of rhenium is its refractoriness. It belongs to expensive metals, so its cost is also off the charts. The main area of ​​application is electronics.

Osmium

Osmium is a silvery-white metal that has a slight blue tint. It belongs to the platinum group and has an unusually strong similarity to iridium in such properties as refractoriness, hardness and brittleness.

Beryllium

This metal is an element that has a light gray tint and is highly toxic. Having such unusual properties, the material has found wide application in the field of nuclear energy and laser technology. The high strength of beryllium allows it to be used in the manufacture of alloying alloys.

Chromium

The bluish-white tint makes chrome stand out from the crowd. It is resistant to alkalis and acids. In nature it can be found in its pure form. Chromium is often used to create various alloys, which are later used in the fields of medicine and chemical equipment.

It is worth noting that ferrochrome is an alloy of chromium and iron. It is used in the manufacture of metal cutting tools.

Tantalum

It is a silvery metal with high hardness and density. A lead tint on metal is formed due to the appearance of an oxide film on the surface. The metal lends itself well to processing.

Today, tantalum is successfully used in the construction of nuclear reactors and metallurgical production.

Ruthenium

A silvery metal that belongs to the platinum group. It has an unusual composition: it contains muscle tissue of living organisms. Another distinctive fact is that ruthenium is used as a catalyst for many chemical reactions.

Iridium

This metal ranks first in our rating. It has a silvery white color. Iridium also belongs to the platinum group and has the highest hardness of the above metals. In the modern world it is used very often. It is mainly added to other metals to improve their resistance to acidic environments. The metal itself is very expensive, since it is very poorly distributed in nature.

Read also:

Everything you need to know about titanium, plus chromium and tungsten

Many people are interested in the question: what is the hardest metal in the world? This is titanium. This solid substance will be the focus of most of the article. Let's also get acquainted a little with such hard metals as chromium and tungsten.

9 interesting facts about titanium

1. There are several versions of why the metal got its name. One theory is that he was named after the Titans, fearless supernatural creatures. According to another version, the name comes from Titania, the queen of fairies.
2. Titanium was discovered at the end of the 18th century by a German and English chemist.
3. Titanium has not been used in industry for a long time due to its natural fragility.
4. At the beginning of 1925, after a series of experiments, chemists obtained titanium in its pure form.
5. Titanium shavings are highly flammable.
6. It is one of the lightest metals.
7. Titanium can only melt at temperatures above 3200 degrees.
8. Boils at a temperature of 3300 degrees.
9. Titanium has a silver color.

History of the discovery of titanium

The metal, which was later named titanium, was discovered by two scientists - the Englishman William Gregor and the German Martin Gregor Klaproth. The scientists worked in parallel and did not intersect with each other. The difference between discoveries is 6 years.

William Gregor gave his discovery a name: manakin.

More than 30 years later, the first titanium alloy was obtained, which turned out to be extremely brittle and could not be used anywhere. It is believed that only in 1925 titanium was isolated in its pure form, which became one of the most popular metals in industry.

It has been proven that the Russian scientist Kirillov managed to extract pure titanium in 1875. He published a brochure detailing his work. However, the research of a little-known Russian went unnoticed.

General information about titanium

Titanium alloys are a salvation for mechanics and engineers. For example, the body of an airplane is made of titanium. During flight, it reaches speeds several times greater than the speed of sound. The titanium case heats up to temperatures above 300 degrees and does not melt.

The metal closes the top ten of “The most common metals in nature.” Large deposits have been discovered in South Africa, China and a lot of titanium in Japan, India, and Ukraine.

The total world reserve of titans amounts to more than 700 million tons. If production rates remain the same, there will be enough titanium for another 150-160 years.

The largest producer of the hardest metal in the world is the Russian enterprise VSMPO-Avisma, which satisfies a third of the world's needs.

Properties of titanium

1. Corrosion resistance.
2. High mechanical strength.
3. Low density.

The atomic weight of titanium is 47.88 amu, the serial number in the chemical periodic table is 22. Outwardly, it is very similar to steel.

The mechanical density of the metal is 6 times greater than that of aluminum, 2 times higher than that of iron. It can combine with oxygen, hydrogen, nitrogen. When paired with carbon, the metal forms incredibly hard carbides.

The thermal conductivity of titanium is 4 times less than that of iron, and 13 times less than that of aluminum.

Titanium mining process

There is a large amount of titanium in the earth, however, extracting it from the depths costs a lot of money. For production, the iodide method is used, the author of which is considered to be Van Arkel de Boer.

The method is based on the ability of the metal to combine with iodine; after decomposition of this compound, pure titanium, free of foreign impurities, can be obtained.

The most interesting things made of titanium:

• prostheses in medicine;
• mobile device boards;
• rocket systems for space exploration;
• pipelines, pumps;
• awnings, cornices, external cladding of buildings;
• most parts (chassis, trim).

Areas of application of titanium

Titanium is actively used in the military sphere, medicine, and jewelry. It was given the unofficial name “metal of the future.” Many say that it helps turn dreams into reality.

The hardest metal in the world was initially used in the military and defense sphere. Today, the main consumer of titanium products is the aircraft industry.

Titanium is a universal construction material. For many years it was used to create aircraft turbines. In aircraft engines, fan elements, compressors, and disks are made from titanium.

The design of a modern aircraft can contain up to 20 tons of titanium alloy.

The main areas of application of titanium in aircraft construction:

• products of spatial form (edging of doors, hatches, cladding, flooring);
• units and components that are subject to heavy loads (wing brackets, landing gear, hydraulic cylinders);
• engine parts (housing, compressor blades).

Thanks to titanium, man was able to pass through the sound barrier and break into space. It was used to create manned missile systems. Titan can withstand cosmic radiation, temperature changes, and movement speed.

This metal has a low density, which is important in the shipbuilding industry. Products made of titanium are lightweight, which means the weight is reduced and its maneuverability, speed, and range are increased. If the ship's hull is sheathed with titanium, it will not need to be painted for many years - titanium does not rust in sea water (corrosion resistance).

Most often, this metal is used in shipbuilding for the manufacture of turbine engines, steam boilers, and condenser pipes.

Oil industry and titanium

Ultra-deep drilling is considered a promising area for the use of titanium alloys. To study and extract underground resources, it is necessary to penetrate deep underground - over 15 thousand meters. Aluminum drill pipes, for example, will rupture due to their own gravity, and only titanium alloys can reach truly great depths.

Not so long ago, titanium began to be actively used to create wells on the sea shelves. Specialists use titanium alloys as equipment:

• oil production installations;
• high pressure vessels;
• deep-sea pumps, pipelines.

Titanium in sports, medicine

Titanium is extremely popular in the sports field due to its strength and lightness. Several decades ago, a bicycle was made from titanium alloys, the first sports equipment made from the hardest material in the world. A modern bicycle consists of a titanium body, the same brake and seat springs.

Titanium golf clubs have been created in Japan. These devices are lightweight and durable, but extremely expensive.

Most of the items that are in the backpack of climbers and travelers are made from titanium - tableware, cooking sets, racks for strengthening tents. Titanium ice axes are very popular sports equipment.

This metal is in great demand in the medical industry. Most surgical instruments are made from titanium - lightweight and convenient.

Another area of ​​application of metal of the future is the creation of prosthetics. Titanium “combines” perfectly with the human body. Doctors called this process “real kinship.” Titanium structures are safe for muscles and bones, rarely cause an allergic reaction, and are not destroyed by fluid in the body. Titanium prostheses are durable and can withstand enormous physical loads.

Titanium is an amazing metal. It helps a person achieve unprecedented heights in various areas of life. It is loved and revered for its strength, lightness and long years of service.

Chromium is one of the hardest metals.

Interesting facts about chromium

1. The name of the metal comes from the Greek word “chroma”, which means paint.
2. In the natural environment, chromium is not found in its pure form, but only in the form of chromium iron ore, double oxide.
3. The largest deposits of the metal are located in South Africa, Russia, Kazakhstan and Zimbabwe.
4. Metal density – 7200 kg/m3.
5. Chrome melts at a temperature of 1907 degrees.
6. Boils at a temperature of 2671 degrees.
7. Absolutely pure chromium without impurities is characterized by ductility and viscosity. When combined with oxygen, nitrogen or hydrogen, the metal becomes brittle and very hard.
8. This silvery-white metal was discovered by the Frenchman Louis Nicolas Vauquelin at the end of the 18th century.

Properties of chromium metal

Chromium has very high hardness and can cut glass. It is not oxidized by air or moisture. If the metal is heated, oxidation will occur only on the surface.

More than 15,000 tons of pure chromium are consumed per year. The English company Bell Metals is considered the leader in the production of pure chromium.

The largest amounts of chromium are consumed in the USA, Western Europe and Japan. The chrome market is volatile and prices span a wide range.

Areas of use of chromium

Most often used to create alloys and galvanic coatings (chrome plating for transport).

Chromium is added to steel, which improves the physical properties of the metal. These alloys are most in demand in ferrous metallurgy.

The most popular grade of steel consists of chromium (18%) and nickel (8%). Such alloys have excellent resistance to oxidation and corrosion, and are durable even at high temperatures.

Heating furnaces are made from steel, which contains a third of chromium.

What else is made from chromium?

1. Firearm barrels.
2. Submarine hull.
3. Bricks, which are used in metallurgy.

Another extremely hard metal is tungsten.

Interesting facts about tungsten

1. The name of the metal translated from German (“Wolf Rahm”) means “wolf foam.”
2. It is the most refractory metal in the world.
3. Tungsten has a light gray tint.
4. The metal was discovered at the end of the 18th century (1781) by the Swede Karl Scheele.
5. Tungsten melts at a temperature of 3422 degrees, boils at 5900.
6. Metal has a density of 19.3 g/cm³.
7. Atomic mass – 183.85, element of group VI in the periodic system of Mendeleev (serial number – 74).

Tungsten Mining Process

Tungsten belongs to a large group of rare metals. It also includes rubidium and molybdenum. This group is characterized by a low prevalence of metals in nature and a small scale of consumption.

The production of tungsten consists of 3 stages:

• separating metal from ore, accumulating it in solution;
• isolation of the compound, its purification;
• separation of pure metal from a finished chemical compound.
• The starting materials for producing tungsten are scheelite and wolframite.

Applications of tungsten

Tungsten is the basis of most strong alloys. It is used to make aircraft engines, parts of electric vacuum devices, and incandescent filaments.
The high density of the metal makes it possible to use tungsten to create ballistic missiles, bullets, counterweights, and artillery shells.

Tungsten-based compounds are used for processing other metals, in the mining industry (well drilling), paint and varnish, and textiles (as a catalyst for organic synthesis).

From complex tungsten compounds they make:

• wires – used in heating furnaces;
• tapes, foil, plates, sheets - for rolling and flat forging.

Titanium, chromium and tungsten top the list of "The Hardest Metals in the World." They are used in many areas of human activity - aviation and rocketry, military, construction, and at the same time, this is not the full range of applications of metals.