TANTALUM

Why in News?                                                                                                        

A team of researchers from the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT), Ropar has found the presence of tantalum, a rare metal, in the Sutlej river sand in Punjab.

What is Tantalum?

• Tantalum is a rare metal with the atomic number 73.
• It’s grey, heavy, very hard, and one of the most corrosion-resistant metals in use today.
• It possesses high corrosion resistance.
• When pure, tantalum is ductile.
• It is almost completely immune to chemical attack at temperatures below 150°C, and is attacked only by hydrofluoric acid, acidic solutions containing the fluoride ion, and free sulphur trioxide.
• tantalum also has an extremely high melting point, exceeded only by tungsten and rhenium
• Tantalum was discovered by Anders Gustaf Ekenberg, a Swedish chemist, in 1802.
• The rare metal has been named after a Greek mythological figure Tantalus.
• Tantalum is most prominently used in the electronics sector.
• The capacitors made from tantalum are capable of storing more electricity in smaller sizes without much leakage than any other type of capacitor. This makes them ideal for use in portable electronic devices such as smartphones, laptops, and digital cameras.
• As tantalum has a high melting point, it is frequently used as a substitute for platinum, which is more expensive.
• The rare metal is also used to make components for chemical plants, nuclear power plants, aeroplanes and missiles.
• Tantalum does not react with bodily fluids and is used to make surgical equipment and implants, like artificial joints, according to the US Department of Energy.