In honor of which country was called ruthenium. Research: chemical elemental elements. Organic Ruthenium Chemistry

Ruthenium (content in platinum ores) is the most rare among platinum metals. He was opened by the Kazan professor Klaus, which in 1844 there was a new element in the remains of the Ural Platinum Ore, who called Ruthenia (from Latelatinsky Ruthenia - Russia). Claus received ruthenium in its pure form, studied his chemical properties, determined atomic weight and pointed to the similarity between the triad ruthenium - Rhodes - Palladium and Osmiy - Iridium - Platinum.
Ruthenies - platinum satellite. It is mainly contained in Osmaridia - the residue after the separation of platinum ores of tsarist vodka. It is very rarely found in the form of an independent mineral - Laurita, RUS 2 ruthenium sulphide containing osmium.

Getting:

The remnants of the platinum refining or electrodeposition are translated into (NH 4) 2, which is calcined to RUO 2, the latter is reduced by hydrogen.
In the colloidal state of ruthenium, it is possible to restore it with hydrazine salts in the presence of gumiarabic or acrolein.
Currently, spent fuel of nuclear power plants can be the source of ruthenium, since it is one of the products of fissioning nuclear materials (plutonium, uranium, thorium).

Physical properties:

Ruthenium Depending on the method of obtaining it is a matte gray or silver-white shiny metal with extremely large hardness; At the same time, he is so fragile that it can be easily confused into powder. It is very refined and melted at a much higher temperature than platinum. In an electric arc, the melting RU evaporates simultaneously. It enters the gas phase is also with a strong calcination in air, but in this case it is not a metal, but foam, stable at very high temperatures.

Chemical properties:

In the absence of oxygen air on ruthenium, no acid is not valid, even the royal vodka. However, the hydrochloric acid containing air slowly dissolves it at a conventional temperature, and at 125 ° (in a sealed tube) even quite quickly. When heated on the air, the ruthenium is black due to surface oxidation. Fluorine acts on powder-shaped rutments already below the temperature of the red casting, and chlorine - during red camation. With gray powdered ruthenium reacts only when special conditions are met. With phosphorus, it forms a compound RUB 2 and RUP and RU 2 P; With arsenic, as well as platinum, ruthenium gives Diasenide RUAS 2. Alkali in the presence of oxygen or substances that are easily given oxygen, for example, a mixture of KOH with KNO 3 or K 2 CO 3 with KCIO 3, as well as peroxides, for example Na 2 O 2 or Bao 2, at high temperatures vigorously act on ruthenium, forming with Ruthenates (VI) M 1 2 RUO 4. TC 2 O 7.

Major compounds:

Ruthenium dioxide RUO 2 is obtained in the form of a blue-black powder when heating the powdered ruthenium, chloride or sulfide of it in the oxygen current. Hydrogen at low temperature RUO 2 is restored, at very high temperatures, RUO 2 begins to decompose on ruthenium and oxygen.
Tour ruthenium RUO 4 is obtained by passing chlorine through the solution of alkali metal rutenate or when an excess alkali is added to the solutions of ruthenium salts; It forms yellow needles melting at 25 ° in orange fluid. When heated, about 108 °, RUO 4 with a strong explosion decomposes on RUO 2 and O 2. Touring ruthenium is extremely energetically reacting with organic substances, its reaction with an alcohol occurs with an explosion.
Pentarbonyl ruthenium RU (CO) 5 Bat liquid, the air is flammable. It is used to apply RU coatings on glass, ceramics, metals.
Complex compounds of ruthenium Extremely numerous. Including it can form in them even with such an unusual ligand, as a molecular nitrogen, forming, for example, the CL 2 connection.

Application:

Production of catalysts, decorative and protective coatings, alloys. Small ruthenium additives typically increase the corrosion resistance, strength and hardness of the alloy, which is valuable for the production of wear-resistant electrical contacts.
The annual ruthenium mining in 2009 was estimated at about 18 tons.

G. Yelfimova

See also:
Fedorenko N.V. KK Klaus: Opening of Ruthenium. Chemistry at school, 1977, №4
Schulchus A. Several stories of opening ruthenium. Chemistry in school, 2010, №9 p.79

For several days, the topic of ruthenium is emerged in the media. I will not retell it - I think you know.

So what it is, was it and if it was, then what is dangerous?

What is ruthenies and where is it used?

Ruthenium is platinum metal. Now there are seven stable and 27 radioactive ruthenium isotopes.

Rutheniums are used in alloys to increase wear resistance - for example, in titanium, the ruthenium share is 0.1%, and during the production of electrical contacts, the rutments are fused with platinum. Ruthenation alloys are extremely resistant to high temperatures, so they are used in aerospace technology as structural materials. Ruthenium compounds are used in jewelry, in electronics - in particular, in thin-film resistors (this is 50% of all cases of ruthenium), as well as in solar panels. In addition, this metal is an important catalyst for chemical reactions: for example, water purified in orbital stations.

How did the ruthenium open?

In fact, this element was opened three times. But officially, the discovery belongs to Professor Kazan University Carlo Claus. In 1844, the scientist explored the remnants that were obtained after the extraction of platinum and platinum metals from ore. These remnants of Claus splaved with Selutyra. A part of the obtained alloy that did not dissolve in water, it exposed to the royal vodka - a mixture of nitrogen and hydrochloric acid, which dissolves metals, and what remained, leaning. From the resulting substance, the chemist allocated iron hydroxide in the form of a precipitate and dissolved it in hydrochloric acid. The dark purple-red color of the solution brought him to the idea of \u200b\u200bthe presence of an unknown element. Claus was able to highlight this element - the truth is not in its pure form, but in connection with gray.

The new element was named after Russia - ruthenium (from Lat. Ruthenia). Initially, the idea of \u200b\u200bthe name belonged to another scientist, German Chemist Gottfried Ozanna - he gave this name to one of the three platinum metals obtained by him also when analyzing the Ural Platinum Ore in 1928. However, the opening of Zamanna was not confirmed during the inspection. Nevertheless, Claus believed that Ozann received precisely ruthenium, and mentioned it. There is also a version that the element for three decades earlier was revealed by the Polish professor Angey Sniphetsky - he offered to call the metal, in honor of the asteroid Vesta, opened in 1807.

And what is known about Ruthenium-106?

This radioactive isotope with a half-life is almost over a year - from all unstable ruthenium isotopes, this most long-lived. In nature, it is absent: it appears when dividing uranium and plutonium in nuclear reactors - in fact, this is a side product of utilization of spent nuclear fuel (SNF). In the moment of the end of the exposure of fuel in the reactor Activity 106ru reaches 2.01 BC per ton of SNF - it is pretty big digit.

The main problem of ruthenium-106 is that during the recycling of nuclear fuel, it enters into stable compounds that interfere with the production of new products. Chemists have to clean the components from the ruthenium at each stage of the technological process to obtain a new one from the spent nuclear fuel.

Ruthenium-106 is used in radiation therapy with malignant eye tumors. It can also be used in radioisotope thermoelectric generators, which are used, in particular, in the power supply of spacecraft remote from the Sun. However, for these purposes, Plutonium-238 is used in practice, the ruthenium isotopes are not used.

Is Ruthenium-106 dangerous for health?

Ruthenium-106, as well as any other source of ionizing radiation, has an impact on the body. It enters the group b - second on radiotoxicity. The group A includes particularly dangerous radionuclides: polonium-210, radium-226, plutonium-238 and other alpha emitters. From the stream of alpha particles it is easy to protect the sheet of paper, since they have a low penetrating ability - but if they still fall into the body, they cause radiation disease.

Ruthenium-106 is a beta emitter - Simply put, it emits the flow of electrons. During beta decay, Rhodium-106 is formed, which instantly decays to a stable palladium-106. Electrons are emitted on both stages, as well as a small component of gamma radiation. If the beta particle enters the body, harm from it is 20 times less than from alpha particle - but its penetrating ability is higher.

And where does such noise about ruthenium?

On October 12, Roshydromet published a newsletter on the radiation situation in Russia in September 2017, in which cases of increasing beta-activity in the air and during atmospheric precipitation. In particular, it was said about the increased activity of Ruthenium-106 - for example, in the Dema microdistrict in Ufa, September 26 - 27, "Ruthenium rain" passed. Even earlier, in September, European monitoring stations recorded the excess of the maintenance of ruthenium-106 in the air. The German Federal Office for Radiation Protection and the Federal Ministry for Environmental Protection, the Protection of Nature and Safety of reactors suggested that the source of ruthenium is located in the Southern Urals.

And what is really dangerous?

Not so terrible, like his little. Ruthenium-106 activity is several orders of magnitude lower than the maximum permissible norm and harm to health - it initially and emphasized Roshydromet in his application.

"It is very difficult to identify ruthenium in the atmosphere, especially in such low concentrations," says the employee of the Radiochemistry of St. Petersburg State University.

For example, the Argayas in the bulletin indicates 7.72 x 10 -5 BC / M3 data, while the permissible value of the ruthenium-106 activity according to modern standards is 4.4 BK / m3. The appearance in the data report on the excess of the Ruthenium-106 content in samples relative to the previous period in "hundreds" times in Roshydromet explained in that in previous samples, this radionuclide was generally absent. As the chief editor of the GeoEnergetic.ru portal, Boris Marcinkevich, explains, the fact that the radiological control stations were able to fix such small concentrations of 106ru, can be considered "testing that convincingly proved that the stations work at a good technical level." International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) studied the data provided and rejected the accusations against Russia.

In addition, there are many natural alpha, beta and gamma emitters.

"If you go to the embankment in St. Petersburg, there will be a radiation background there will be higher than we have in the laboratory," says the staff of the Radiochemistry of St. Petersburg State University. "Because granite from nature has a high radiation background."

And why the activity of ruthenium-106 suddenly increased?

Exactly unknown. As stated in Rosatom, large emissions of radioactive substances in Russian enterprises were not. The production association "Lighthouse", in turn, categorically denies involvement in possible contamination of the atmosphere isotope of ruthenium-106. Large contamination of the atmosphere of ruthenium can occur in a disruption of the tightness of the shell of the fuel element in the reactor, as well as in the destruction of sources of ionizing radiation based on isotope. According to the "Lighthouse", it argues that the release of isotope from spent nuclear fuel, as well as the manufacture of radiation sources from it in the enterprise has not been carried out for many years. Moreover, with the first version, there is usually an emission of other, "fragmentation" isotopes, which would necessarily affect the indicators of these elements.

They say that ruthenies flew from space - is it true?

Interfax has published a version that the release of Ruthenium-106 could occur during the destruction of the satellite. However, academician of the Russian Academy of Cosmonautics named after Tsiolkovsky Alexander Zheleznyakov said that Ruthenium-106 was not used in satellite electrical generators - and if such a device had reduced the orbit, his trajectory would be carefully tracked. Therefore, this version is on the verge of fiction.

Where did he come from?

The assumption of the head of the Department of Radiochemistry of the Chemical Faculty of Moscow State University named after Lomonosov, corresponding member of the Russian Academy of Sciences Stepan Kalmykova, looks likewise. He believes that a high-purity solution of radionuclide could get into the atmosphere from a medical institution or an enterprise where radio facilities work or produce. It could happen at the stage of the technical process, where the ruthenium turns into an aerosol - thanks to the volatility, it could spread in the atmosphere. Although other experts say that the leakage of ruthenium intended for medical purposes (it is used in radiation therapy), it does not seem: the cloud is too large. But the accident associated with nuclear fuel or with its waste is practically excluded, said expert.

And the Vice-Governor of the Chelyabinsk Region Oleg Klimov said that "September 25, even before reports of ruthenium in Europe, concentrations of ruthenium at the tests of control in the Southern Urals were recorded. Their size of 20 thousand times less than the permissible annual dose. The check showed that it was pure rutments, which came to us from another place, "said Oleg Klimov. - The situation is artificially tense and does not have reasonable grounds. "

Maybe frightened Europeans worth looking for a source in another country? But it turns out, in the old world, enterprises that have a little-fledged attitude to work with radioactive substances are strictly classified. We are all known, and the victims of this transparency became Russian meteorologists who said that yes, the content of ruthenium isotopes in two points of collection exceeded the background of the previous month hundreds of times. When it comes to radioactive substances - it all looks scary for amateurs. A specialist looking at the numbers understands that in Russia, and in Europe, the concentration of Ruthenium-106 was thousands of times lower than any dangerous level. And in order not to frighten people in the future, they decided to make comparisons with these most limit concentrations into reporting tables.

It is unlikely that incomplete ruthenium will be revealed. Radiation here is only a background for hype. After all, in February, the cloud of iodine isotope was walked over Europe, much more dangerous than ruthenies, but did anyone heard about it?

sources

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Sergeeva Ekaterina Yurevna

GAU SPO "Chistopol Polytechnic College"

Head of Ionacheva A.L.

ANNOTATION

In this paper, I was interested in the history of the discovery, properties and possible areas of application of the chemical element of ruthenium, which was opened by Karl Castochik Claus in the Chemical Laboratory of the Kazan University and can rightly be called a Kazan chemical element. 2011, was declared UNESCO the year of Chemistry, Pupils of Kazan and the Republic of Tatarstan should be remembered about this clearly outstanding event in more than 1000-year history of the city of Kazan and the only person in Russia, K.K. Klaus, who opened the natural chemical element, especially since he is rightfully considered to be one of the Rodonarchists of the Kazan Chemical School.

This topic seemed to us interesting and relevant also because

Ruthenium is one of the representatives of platinum metals, but was opened the most latter. The opening of the ruthenium represented great difficulties.

To open up a new element of the platinum group - ruthenium during Claus, it was necessary to possess emergency observation, insight, hardworking, perseverance and subtle experimental art. With all these qualities, Klaus possessed, one of the first brilliant representatives of chemical science then another young Kazan University.

Studying the problem, we used the internet resource materials: the site "World of Chemistry", Wiktionary, a popular library of chemical elements, Science Publishing house, 2011

During the week of the Natural Sciences, we conducted (in a number of other events), a scientific and practical conference: "Great chemist scientists and their discovery", on which research work and a number of presentations were presented, which became a good help in the work of teachers and the interest of students in Studying chemistry and other natural disciplines.

Kazan chemical element (ruthenium)

"To open up a new element of the platinum group - ruthenium during Claus, it was necessary to possess emergency observation, insight, hardly worry, perseverance and subtle experimental art. By all these qualities, Klaus possessed, one of the first brilliant representatives of the chemical science then a young Kazan University "

Academician A.E. Arbuzov

Ruthenium opening history

Ruthenium-first chemical element, open by Russian scientist-chemist Karl Claus. Ruthenium-Proprietary platinum metals, open among them.

Research was engaged in A. Remotilsky, Pole by nationality, and Russian scientist K.K. Claus. Help the scientist provided E.F. Cankrin, eating at the time post of Minister of Finance

Kk Klaus

He then provided Claus the remains of raw platinum, from which the scientist allocated platinum, as well as other metals: Rodii, Palladium, Iridium and Osmay. In addition to these metals, a mixture of others was also allocated, in which, according to Claus, a new, still unknown substance should be located. Chemist repeated experiences G.V. Ozanna, and then, developing his experiment plan, received a new chemical element-ruthenium. And again sent a letter to I.Bessellyus, but he did not agree with the arguments of Claus for the first time. But the Russian chemist did not return the arguments of Blycelius and proved that he opened a new chemical element of the platinum group. And in 1845 Blycelius recognized the opening of ruthenium.

Named the chemical element in honor of Russia (Latin name of Russia-Ruthenia)

At the request of the Ministry of Finance, Professor of Kazan University of Karl Karlovich Claus in 1841 began to search for the method of processing remnants of platinum ores accumulated at the St. Petersburg Mint, with the aim of fulfilling platinum. A year earlier, a separate two-story building with a huge basement, equipped with the most modern equipment, was erected by the efforts of the Lobachevsky rector for the chemical laboratory.

Claus has set the composition of platinum ore residues and developed the methods of separation and production in the pure form of platinum metals. Claus had to overcome exceptional experimental difficulties, given the level of knowledge of those times. In addition, the work was dangerous to health, since in the process of processing ores formed extremely poisonous substances.

Among the dedicated components, Klaus found an unknown metal. He studied the properties of both the metal itself and its compounds, with special care determined its atomic weight, worked the method of its allocation and purification. In 1844, Klaus published the results obtained by calling a new chemical element with ruthenium, in honor of Russia. The world scientific community first passed this discovery with doubt, since then many elements were mistakenly "opened".

Only in 1846, when Klaus published a new job about further studying the ruthenium, his discovery was all recognized. Soon the Kazan Professor of the Russian Academy of Sciences was awarded the Demidov Prize for research in the field of platinum metals. Her value in 10,000 rubles was then much more than the current Nobel Prize.

The Chemical Laboratory of the Kazan University, where Klaus worked in 1842. A hundred years later, the future Kurchatov Institute was started in this room.

Obtaining ruthenium

The separation of platinum metals and obtaining them in pure form (affinent) - very complex task, requiring high labor costs, time, expensive reagents, as well as high mastery .. Currently the main source of production of platinum metals is sulfide copper-nickel ores. As a result of their complex processing, the so-called "draft" metals are smelted - contaminated nickel and copper. With their electrolytic refining, noble metals are accumulated as anodic sludge, which is sent to affinity.

A significant source of ruthenium for its production is to allocate it from the fragments of the division of nuclear materials (plutonium, uranium, thorium) where its content reaches 250 grams per ton of "burnt" nuclear fuel.

Physical properties of ruthenium.

According to the refueling (TPL 2250 ° C), the ruthenium is inferior only to several elements - rhenium, osmia, tungsten.

The most valuable properties of ruthenium are handling, hardness, chemical resistance, the ability to accelerate some chemical reactions. The most characteristic of the compounds with valence 3+, 4+ and 8+. Inclined to the formation of complex compounds. It is used as a catalyst, in alloys with platinum metals, as a material for sharp tips, for contacts, electrodes and in jewelry.

Chemical properties of ruthenium.

Ruthenies and Osmis fragile and very hard. Under the action of oxygen and strong oxidants, they form RUO4 and OSO4 oxides. These are low-melting yellow crystals. Pair of both connections have a sharp, unpleasant smell and very poisonous. Both compounds easily give oxygen, restoring to RUO2 IOSO2 or to metals. With alkalis, RuO4 gives salts (Ruthenates). The study of ruthenium puts three tasks in front of chemists:

Task number 1: How to get rid of ruthenium?

Ruthenium has a lot of valuable and interesting properties. In many mechanical, electrical and chemical characteristics, it can compete with many metals and even with platinum and gold. However, in contrast to these metals, ruthenies are very fragile, and therefore it is not possible to make any products from it yet. Task number 1 is put before scientists atomic technology.

Radioactive isotopes of ruthenium in nature do not exist, but they are formed as a result of dividing the cores of uranium and plutonium in reactors of nuclear power plants, submarines, ships, with atomic bomb explosions. From theoretical point of view, this fact is certainly interesting. In it, there is even a special "highlight": the dream of alchemists was carried out - the unfounded metal turned into a noble. Indeed, today, enterprises for the production of plutonium throw tens of kilograms of noble metal ruthenium. But the practical harm inflicted by this process atomic technique would not pay off even if it was possible to apply all the rutheniums obtained in nuclear reactors with benefit.

What is so harmful ruthenium?

One of the main advantages of nuclear fuel is its reproducibility. As you know, with the "burning" of uranium blocks in nuclear reactors, a new nuclear fuel is formed - plutonium. At the same time, "ash" - fragments of the division of uranium nuclei, including ruthenium isotopes. Ash, naturally, you have to delete.

Ruthenies begins to gradually migrate into the ground, creating the danger of radioactive contamination at large distances from the reservoir. The same thing happens during the burial of fragments in mines at great depth. Radioactive rutments, possessing (in the form of water-soluble nitroso compounds) emergency mobility, or, more correctly, migration ability, can get very far from groundwater.

The fight against radioactive ruthenium pays a lot of attention to physics, chemists, technologists and especially radiochemists of many countries. At the I and II International Conferences on the Peaceful Use of Atomic Energy in Geneva, several reports were devoted to this problem. However, there is still no reason to consider the fight against the ruthenium finished successfully, and, apparently, chemists will have to work even a lot so that this problem can be translated into the category of finally solved.

Task # 2: Further study of the chemistry of ruthenium and its compounds.

The extraordinary relevance of the task No. 1 makes the researchers have deeper into the chemistry of ruthenium and its compounds.

Ruthenium is a rare and very scattered element. Known is the only mineral that it forms in vivo. This is Laurite Rus 2 - Very solid heavyweight substance in black, which occur in nature is extremely rare. In some other natural junction compounds, only isomorphic impurity, the amount of which, as a rule, does not exceed the decreases of the percentage of the percentage. Small impurities of ruthenium compounds were found in the copper-nickel ores of the Canadian deposit of Sedbury, and then on other mines.

One of the most remarkable chemical properties of ruthenium is its numerous valence states. The ease of ruthenium transition from one valence state to another and the abundance of these states lead to emergency complexity and the originality of the chemistry of ruthenium, which still abounds with many white spots.

Soviet scientist Sergey Mikhailovich Starostin devoted his whole life to the study of the chemistry of ruthenium and its connections. It he found that the huge difficulties arising from the separation of ruthenium from plutonium and uranium are associated with the formation and properties of ruthenium nitrosomplex.

Some scientists suggest that inorganic polymers based on nitrosocomplexes of ruthenium can be separated.

Several decades ago, comprehensive ruthenium compounds served chemistry theory important service, becoming an excellent model with which Werner created his famous coordination theory. Perhaps polymer ruthenium compounds will serve as a model and to create the theory of inorganic polymers.

Task number 3: Using Ruthenium

Where is the ruthenium and what are the prospects for its use?

Ruthenium, as well as platinum and palladium, has catalytic properties, but often differs from them greater selectivity and selectivity. In heterogeneous catalysis, metallic rutments and its alloys are used. The most efficient catalysts are obtained by applying ruthenium to various carriers with highly developed surfaces. In many cases, it is used with platinum in order to increase its catalytic activity. Rhodium, ruthenium and platinum alloy accelerates ammonia oxidation in the production of nitric acid. Rutheniums are used for the synthesis of sinyl acid from ammonia and methane, for obtaining limit hydrocarbons from hydrogen and carbon monoxide. Abroad, the method of polymerization of ethylene on the ruthenium catalyst is patented.

Ruthenium catalysts were important for the reaction of obtaining glycerol and other polyhydric alcohols from cellulose by hydrogenation.

Metallorganic compounds of ruthenium are used in homogeneous catalysis for various hydrogenation reactions, with the selectivity and catalytic activity they do not inferior to recognized catalysts based on rhodium.

The main advantage of the ruthenium-catalyst in its high electoral ability. It is she who allows chemists to use ruthenium for the synthesis of a wide variety of organic and inorganic products. Ruthenium-catalyst begins to compete seriously with platinum, iridium and rhodium.

Several less possibility of element No. 44 in metallurgy, but it is used in this industry. Small ruthenium additives typically increase the corrosion resistance, strength and hardness of the alloy. It is most often introduced into metals from which contacts for electrical engineering and radio equipment are manufactured. Ruthenium alloy with platinum found application in fuel elements of some American artificial satellites of the Earth. Ruthenium alloys with lanthanum, cerium, scandium, yttrium have superconductivity. Thermocouples made of ruthenium iridium alloy allow measuring the highest temperatures.

A lot can be expected from the use of ruthenium coatings applied in the form of a thin layer (films) to various materials and products. Such a film significantly changes the properties and quality of products, increases their chemical and mechanical resistance, makes them corrosion-resistant, dramatically improves electrical properties, etc. Thin coatings of noble metals, including from ruthenium, in recent years are becoming increasingly important in various fields of electronics, radio and electrical engineering, chemical industries, as well as in jewelry.

An interesting property of metal ruthenium is to sorbit and skip hydrogen - it can be used to be successfully used to extract hydrogen from a mixture of gases and producing ultrapure hydrogen.

Many ruthenium compounds possess beneficial properties. Some of them are used as additives in glass and enamels as persistent dyes; Ruthenium chlorides, for example, increase luminar luminescence, ruthenium polyamines have fluorescent properties, salt Na2 · 2H2O is a piezoelectric, RUO4 is the strongest oxidizing agent. Many ruthenium compounds have biological activity.

"Eternal" feather

Feets of the automotive panels are constantly rubbed and because they are stepping. To make a pen really "eternal", at the tip of his attack. The composition of some alloys for the attack "Eternal" feathers includes ruthenium. Besides him, in these alloys are contained tungsten, cobalt, boron.

Rutheniums are also used in the manufacture of alloys for supports of compass needles. These alloys must be solid, durable and elastic. Of natural minerals, very rare osmidial iridium has such properties. In the artificial materials for compass needles, together with Osmia and Iridium, and sometimes with other metals, element No. 44 - ruthenium.

There is a contact!

In electrical engineering for contacts, copper has been used. It is the perfect material when transmitting strong currents. What is the fact that after a certain time contacts are covered by copper oxide? They can be wiped with a skirt and they will take again, as new. Other business in low-speed technology. Here, any oxidized film on contact can disrupt the operation of the entire system. Therefore, contacts for weak currents are made from palladium or silver-palladium alloy. But these materials do not have sufficient mechanical strength. The additive to the alloys of small ruthenium (1 ... 5%) gives the contacts hardness and strength. The same applies to the sliding contacts that should be well opposed to abrasion.

Ruthenium red.

This is the name of an inorganic dye, which is a complex ammonia chloride of ruthenium .. Ruthenium red is used in studies in anatomy and histology (live tissue science). The solution of this dye when diluted 1: 5000 stains in pink and red tones of pectin substances and some tissues. Thanks to this, the researcher gets the opportunity to distinguish these substances from others and it is better to analyze the section considered under the microscope.

Applying ruthenium for growing graphene.

Researchers from Brookhaven National Laboratory (USA) showed that with epitaxial growth of graphene on the surface RU (0001) macroscopic graphene areas are formed. At the same time, growth flows in layers, and, although the first layer is strongly associated with the substrate, the second does not interact with it and maintains all the unique properties of graphene.
Synthesis is based on the fact that the solubility of carbon in ruthenium is highly dependent on temperature. At 1150 ° C, the ruthenium is saturated with carbon, and with a decrease in temperature to 825 ° C, the carbon turns onto the surface, as a result of which graphene islands are formed with a size of more than 100 microns. The islands grow up and combine, after which the growth of the second layer begins.

Ruthenia in Latin means "Russia". Like Russia, ruthenies are beautiful, mysterious and extremely uncomfortable for humans. Firstly, obtaining pure ruthenium - problem, not solved until now. Secondly, ruthenies are so fragile that it is not possible to use it in its pure form. Thirdly, ruthenium, which is in the form of various chemical compounds, is often dangerous. Including explosive!

Well, what is not Russia?

History of metal

Most of the professors expressed by Professor K.K. Claus ideas, too bold for its time, turned out to be true. Realizing one of them, in 1844, Klaus receives six grams of metal, previously unknown science and subsequently called by ruthenium.

The luminaries of the world community celebrated the proximity of the new metal partly to the gland, partly to Osmay. Originated - and since then does not disappear - the sustainable opinion is that of all the so-called "noble" ruthenium metals - the most ungreational ...

Properties of ruthenium

The presence of differences in the properties, understand scientists, speaks only about the contamination of the samples. The awareness of the problem is partly puzzling, because there is no effective way to purify ruthenium from impurities; And partly is encouraging because the theoretical characteristics of the substance are very enviable.

Anyway, today it is not possible to save ruthenium from its inherent inherent in the casting of fragility. Machining attempts (forging, pressing, cutting) end with the destruction of the ruthenium blank.

Meanwhile, the production workers are very interested in "conquest" of metal: Ruthenium gas cutting abilities unsurpassed. If palladium is able to absorb hydrogen 940 times more than its volume, then the ruthenium has this indicator almost twice above! At the same time, the absorption capacity of ruthenium concerns not only hydrogen, but also nitrogen, and to a lesser extent - other non-metals.

Ruo4 ruthenium four-rods (just like fine rhodium) is so chemically active that even explosive. True, both riding, and the ruthenium explosives - the phenomenon is expensive ...

Price and prevalence

However, the limited demand makes adjustments to the price list of precious metals. Ruthenium - the most inexpensive of . Its market value at the beginning of 2016, only 2.7 times higher than the price is more expensive than ruthenium almost 30 times - despite the fact that the annual ruthenium mining rarely exceeds 20 tons, and 2500 tons of gold arrives in the world market.

There is no justice in pricing! As it does not have it and in the country of ruthenium ...

Where is the ruthenium?

Water treatment devices of spacecraft work on ruthenium catalysts - they are most effective. In non-ferrous metallurgy, a valuable alloying additive. In concentrations at the level of tenth and hundredths of the percentage, the noble metal increases the strength properties of products. Turbine blades of jet engines, high-temperature rocket details, aircraft fuel equipment contain ruthenium.

Some graphene technologies are based on the use of ruthenium ability to absorb non-metals. Ruthenium substrate turns out to be a reliable basis for growing modified carbon.

A mixture of dioxide and ruthenium dioxide and tetroxide mixed in powder make it possible to criminalists to identify slightly aggressive fingerprints. No other connections are "dug" into fats molecules with such force!

Extremely promising is the use of ruthenium paint as ... solar battery. In the future, a person will be able to dispose of solar energy with the help of a transducer wearable in the form of a canister with paint and two wiring - and such a system promises to be a kopeck.

Problem ruthenium

Up to a third of the slag mass in the reactor falls on dangerous radios. Remove the extremely "sticky" metal is extremely difficult. But when conservation of waste of nuclear energy, ruthenium first finds out the repository output! Migration of active ruthenium occurs by all possible ways.

Put a reliable barrier on the way too "mobile" element, but equally and deactivate the metal is not always possible. Bean plants, favorite food of man and animals, concentrate soil rutments in their roots ..