Zirconium

Zirconium is a silvery grey, shiny heavy metal. In its pure form, zirconium is easy to process, corrosion resistant at high temperatures and has an extremely low neutron capture cross section and good stability against structural damage through neutron radiation and against cavitation by coolant flows. Zirconium is difficult to clean.Zirconium, in its pure form or alloyed with 1.2–1.7 % tin, is used for corrosion-resistant pipes, fittings and taps in the chemical industry. Zirconium plays a key role in reactor construction. It is used for fuel element cladding and holders, for lining boiler drums and for all structural components that come into contact with neutrons. The missile and jet aircraft industries use zirconium to manufacture combustion chambers and supply lines. In electrons and x-ray tubes, zirconium serves as a getter material.