What is Hf isotope?
Natural hafnium (72Hf) consists of five stable isotopes (176Hf, 177Hf, 178Hf, 179Hf, and 180Hf) and one very long-lived radioisotope, 174Hf, with a half-life of 2×1015 years. In addition, there are 30 other known radionuclides, the most stable of which is 182Hf with a half-life of 8.9×106 years.
Table of Contents
What is Hf isotope?
Natural hafnium (72Hf) consists of five stable isotopes (176Hf, 177Hf, 178Hf, 179Hf, and 180Hf) and one very long-lived radioisotope, 174Hf, with a half-life of 2×1015 years. In addition, there are 30 other known radionuclides, the most stable of which is 182Hf with a half-life of 8.9×106 years.

How many isotopes does hafnium have?
Natural hafnium is a mixture of six stable isotopes: hafnium-174 (0.2 percent), hafnium-176 (5.2 percent), hafnium-177 (18.6 percent), hafnium-178 (27.1 percent), hafnium-179 (13.7 percent), and hafnium-180 (35.2 percent).
What does Hafnium decay into?
Since hafnium is a lithophile element the (undecayed) hafnium-182 would remain in the mantle (i.e. the outer layers of the planet). Then, after some time, the hafnium-182 would decay to tungsten-182 leaving an excess of tungsten-182 in the mantle.
What are the properties of Hafnium?

Physical properties Hafnium is a bright, silvery-gray metal that is very ductile. Ductile means capable of being drawn into thin wires. Its melting point is about 2,150°C (3,900°F) and its boiling point about 5,400°C (9,700°F). Its density is 13.1 grams per cubic centimeter.
What is hafnium made of?
Hafnium is a chemical element with the symbol Hf and atomic number 72. A lustrous, silvery gray, tetravalent transition metal, hafnium chemically resembles zirconium and is found in many zirconium minerals….
Hafnium | |
---|---|
Group | group 4 |
Period | period 6 |
Block | d-block |
Electron configuration | [Xe] 4f14 5d2 6s2 |
What type of metal is hafnium?
A shiny, silvery metal that resists corrosion and can be drawn into wires. Hafnium is a good absorber of neutrons and is used to make control rods, such as those found in nuclear submarines.
What are the two most common isotopes of Hafnium?
Most common isotopes: Hf-174, Hf-176, Hf-177, Hf-178, Hf-179 and Hf-180.
What is tantalum used for?
Uses of tantalum More than half of tantalum’s use is for electrolytic capacitors and vacuum furnace parts. The element is also used to make chemical process equipment, nuclear reactors, aircraft and missile parts.
What can hafnium do?
Hafnium is a good absorber of neutrons and is used to make control rods, such as those found in nuclear submarines. It also has a very high melting point and because of this is used in plasma welding torches. Hafnium has been successfully alloyed with several metals including iron, titanium and niobium.
What does hafnium stand for?
Hafnium is a lustrous, silvery-gray transition metal. Discovered in 1923, it was the next-to-last element with stable nuclei to be added to the periodic table (the final one was rhenium in 1925). Hafnium is named after the Latin word for Copenhagen: Hafnia.
Why is it called tantalum?
Word origin: Tantalum is named after a Greek mythological character, Tantalos. Discovery: Tantalum was discovered by Anders Ekeberg in 1802. It was thought tantalum and niobium were identical elements until Rowe in 1844, and Swiss chemist Jean Charles Galissard de Marignac, in 1866 showed they were different acids.
Where is tantalum found?
What’s more, much of the world’s tantalum is mined in areas known for issues related to conflict minerals, such as the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda. Together they account for nearly half of global production. Brazil, Nigeria and China were the other top countries for tantalum mining in 2021.