Rhenium / Rhenium Alloys

About Pure Rhenium Metal (Re) and Rhenium Alloys

Rhenium was discovered in 1925 by German scientists named W. Noddack, O. Berg and Ida Tacke in Berlin.

Rhenium was named after “Rhenus”, the Latin name for the Rhine. It is a rare element (abundance 4 x 10 4 ppm in the earth’s crust) and does not occur in quantity in any ore. It is found in ores which contain molybdenum from which it can be readily recovered. The metal is obtained by hydrogen reduction of the potassium perrhenate salt, obtained by precipitation of the perrhenate ion (ReO4) – from an oxidized solution.

Rhenium is a silvery colored metal which resists corrosion and oxidation but slowly tarnishes in moist air. It is soluble in nitric and Sulphur acids. Applications for the metal include its use as an alloying element with tungsten, the resulting alloy having a very high electrical resistance making it suitable for electrical filaments. Rhenium has a very high melting point (3,180°C) and is used in high temperature thermocouples, electrical contacts and thermistors. Rhenium is a heavy transition refractory metal with the highest modulus of elasticity of all the refractory metals (420 GPa). Rhenium and rhenium alloys are unique with high melting points, high moduli of elasticity and excellent high temperature mechanical properties. The most common rhenium containing alloys are molybdenum 41% rhenium (Mo41%Re) and molybdenum 47.5% rhenium (Mo-47.5%Re).

Above data is for informational purposes only.  Eagle Alloys is not liable for accuracy of these contents or applications. Finished part drawings may be forwarded to a third party for outsourcing.