Ruthenium

44

Ru

101.07(2)

  • Name: Ruthenium
  • Symbol: Ru
  • Atomic number: 44
  • Atomic weight: 101.07(2)
  • CAS Registry ID: 7440-18-8
  • Group name: Precious metal
  • Period number: 5
  • Block: d-block
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Description

Ruthenium is a rare transition metal that is a silvery white metal in its natural solid state. This element is known for having ‘hard’ characteristics; it does not tarnish in normal temperatures, but it will yield an explosive effect if it is oxidized. Ruthenium has an atomic weight of 101.07, a melting point of 4233 °F, and a boiling point of 7502 °F. Ruthenium is most commonly used as an addition to other metals such as platinum and titanium to give the metals extra strength.

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Isolation

The isolation process of ruthenium is highly complex, and it is not normally conducted in a small laboratory setting.

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Ruthenium is never found free in nature, and it is very rare. Mineral ores which contain elements from the platinum group sometimes contain minute quantities of ruthenium. The ore pentlandite is the ore that is most frequently used for ruthenium isolation. The isolation process of ruthenium is complex due to the many other elements that it is found with; isolating ruthenium out of these other elements involves a number of steps.

The first step to ruthenium isolation is treating the ore with sodium bisulphate and heat; the melted ore contains rhodium sulfate which is insoluble. The liquid ore is then combined with sodium peroxide, and the mixture is then extracted with water to yield the salts of ruthenium and osmium in addition to iron oxide. The salt form of ruthenium is reacted with chlorine gas to yield the highly volatile oxide of ruthenium, RuO4. This oxide is treated with hydrochloric acid; the oxide dissolves in the acid and is precipitated out by treating the solution with ammonium chloride. The precipitate is then subjected to drying and burning under hydrogen gas to yield pure ruthenium metal.


General
Name Ruthenium
Symbol Ru
Number 44
Chemical series transition metals
Group 8
Period 5
Block d
Appearance silvery white metallic
Standard atomic weight 101.07(2)  g·mol−1
Electron configuration [Kr] 4d7 5s1
Electrons per shell 2, 8, 18, 15, 1
Atomic properties
Crystal structure hexagonal
Oxidation states 2, 3, 4, 6, 8 (mildly acidic oxide)
Electronegativity 2.2 (scale Pauling)
Ionization energies 1st: 710.2 kJ/mol
(more) 2nd: 1620 kJ/mol
(more) 3rd: 2747 kJ/mol
Atomic radius 130 pm
Atomic radius (calc.) 178 pm
Covalent radius 126 pm
Van der Waals radius
Physical properties
Phase
Density (near r.t.) 12.45  g·cm−3
Liquid density at m.p. 10.65  g·cm−3
Melting point 2607 K (2334 °C, 4233 °F)
Boiling point 4423 K (4150 °C, 7502 °F)
Critical point
Heat of fusion 38.59  kJ·mol−1
Heat of vaporization 591.6  kJ·mol−1
Heat capacity (25 °C) 24.06  J·mol−1·K−1
Miscellaneous
Magnetic ordering
Electrical resistivity (0 °C) 71 nΩ·m
Thermal conductivity (300 K) 117  W·m−1·K−1
Thermal expansion (25 °C) 6.4  µm·m−1·K−1
Speed of sound (thin rod) (20 °C) 5970 m/s
Young's modulus 447  GPa
Shear modulus 173  GPa
Bulk modulus 220  GPa
Poisson ratio 0.30
Mohs hardness 6.5
Vickers hardness
Brinell hardness 2160  MPa
CAS registry number 7440-18-8

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