Zirconium is an important alloying element of magnesium alloys, which can improve the tensile strength and processing properties of magnesium alloys. Zirconium or aluminum-magnesium alloy metamorphism agent, can refine the grain.
Zirconia and zirconium quartz are the most valuable refractory compounds. Zirconium dioxide is the main material of new ceramic, and it can not be used as the heating material of high temperature oxidation resistance. Zirconia can be used as an additive for acid-resistant enamel and glass, which can significantly improve the elasticity, chemical stability and heat resistance of glass. Zirconium stone has strong light reflection, good thermal stability and can be used as a shading agent in ceramics and glass.
Zirconium can absorb oxygen, hydrogen, ammonia and other gases in large quantities when heated. It is an ideal getter. For example, zirconium powder is used as degassing agent in electron tubes, zirconium wire and zirconium sheet are used as grid support and anode support.
Powdered iron mixed with zirconium nitrate can be used as flash powder. Zirconium is used almost entirely as the cladding for uranium fuel elements in nuclear reactors. It is also used to make flash lamps for photography, as well as corrosion-resistant containers and pipes, especially those resistant to hydrochloric acid and sulfuric acid. Zirconium chemicals can be used as crosslinking agents for polymers.
From the military point of view, steel as long as the addition of a thousandth of zirconium, hardness and strength will be surprisingly high. Zirconium containing armor steel, artillery forgings steel, stainless steel and heat resistant steel are important materials for the manufacture of armored vehicles, tanks, artillery and bulletproof plates and other weapons.
From the point of view of atomic energy and nuclear energy, zirconium has outstanding nuclear energy, is an indispensable material for the development of atomic energy industry, China's large nuclear power plants are generally using zirconium, if the use of nuclear power generation, every one million kilowatts of power generation capacity, will consume 20 to 25 tons of metal zirconium a year. A ship of thirty thousand horsepower; Nuclear submarine USES zirconium and zirconium alloy as nuclear fuel jacket and pressure pipe, the use of zirconium up to 20 to 30 tons. Prospects and USES of zirconium.
