Tantalum has excellent chemical properties and high corrosion resistance. They do not respond to heat, cold, or aqua regia. It can be used to make evaporator, electrode, rectifier and electrolytic capacitor. Used to make thin sheets or threads on a piece of cloth to mend damaged tissue.
Although tantalum is highly corrosion resistant, its corrosion resistance is due to the formation of a stable Ta2O5 protective film on its surface.
Tantalum, Tantalum) is a kind of metal elements, the symbol for the Ta, atomic number is 73, density of 16.68 g/cm3, melting point is 2980 ℃, is second only to tungsten, a third of the refractory metal rhenium. Pure tantalum is bluish, malleable and can be rolled into very thin (less than 0.01 mm) plates without intermediate annealing in cold conditions. Tantalum ability to resist corrosion and glass are the same, only fluorine in middle temperature (150 ℃), and sulfur trioxide (including fuming sulfuric acid), alkali, and some molten salt affect tantalum. Metal tantalum stability in the normal temperature of the air, heated to a temperature higher than 500 ℃, generate Ta205 accelerated oxidation.
Tantalum with high melting point, low steam, cold work performance is good, high chemical stability and liquid metal corrosion resistance is strong, large surface oxidation film dielectric constant and a series of excellent performance, in electronics, metallurgy, steel, chemical, hard alloy, atomic energy, superconducting technology, automotive electronics, aerospace, high-tech fields such as health and scientific research has important application.
The main application of tantalum is tantalum capacitor. Tantalum occurs naturally with chemically similar niobium and is commonly found in tantalite, niobite, and coltan. Brazil and Australia are the two countries with abundant tantalum resources.
Tantalum forms a stable anodic oxide film in an acidic electrolyte. Electrolytic capacitors made of tantalum have the advantages of large capacity, small size and good reliability, etc. Capacitors are an important use of tantalum. The amount of tantalum used in the late 1970s accounted for more than 2/3 of the total amount of tantalum. Tantalum is also used to make components for electron emitting tubes and high power electronic tubes. Tantalum anti - corrosion equipment for the production of strong acid, bromine, ammonia and other chemical industry. Tantalum can be used as the combustor material in aircraft engines. Tantalum tungsten, tantalum tungsten hafnium and tantalum hafnium alloys are used as heat-resistant and high-strength materials for rockets and jet engines as well as parts for control and adjustment equipment. Tantalum is easily machined and formed, used as supporting accessories, heat shield, heater and heat sink in high temperature vacuum furnace. Tantalum can be used as orthopedic and surgical materials. For example, tantalum bars can be used to replace the bones and muscles in the human body. It will also grow on the bars, so it has a "bio-friendly metal".
Tantalum carbide is used in the manufacture of hard alloys. The borides, silicides, nitrides and their alloys of tantalum are used as heat release elements and liquid metal sheath materials in the atomic energy industry. Tantalum oxide is used in the manufacture of optical glass and catalysts. In 1981, the proportion of tantalum consumed in various sectors in the United States was approximately 73% for electronic components, 19% for the machinery industry, 6% for transportation, and 2% for other industries.
