Since hafnium is easy to emit electrons, it can be used as a cathode of X ray tube. Furthermore, alloys of hafnium and tungsten or molybdenum are also used as electrodes for high voltage discharge tubes. According to a 2012 report, a research team led by Andrew flovitt of the department of engineering at the university of Cambridge in the United Kingdom has developed a new hafnium oxide with higher dielectric constant, which is expected to be used to make the next generation of more miniature electronic equipment, photovoltaic manufacturing equipment and more efficient photovoltaic cells.
Hafnium metal of atomic energy industry has excellent welding performance, processing performance, high temperature resistance and corrosion resistance. Hafnium has a large thermal neutron capture cross section and is an ideal neutron absorber.
Hafnium in chemistry can be used as an aspirator for many aeration systems. Hafnium getter can remove oxygen, nitrogen and other gases from the system. In addition, hafnium has strong resistance to volatility and is often used as an additive to prevent the oil from evaporating in high-risk operations.
The alloy material hafnium has the properties of ductility, oxidation resistance and high temperature resistance. For example, the hafnium-niobium alloy containing 10% of hafnium can be used as the nozzle of the moon landing rocket, while the tantalum-tungsten alloy containing 2% of hafnium can be used as the protective layer material of spacecraft due to its high creep strength.
