Rhenium
Rhenium (铼, symbol Re) is chemical element number 75, a Transition Metal in period 6, group 7 of the periodic table, with a standard atomic weight of about 186.21. One of the rarest elements in Earth's crust. Used in jet engine alloys.
Properties
| Atomic number | 75 |
|---|---|
| Symbol | Re |
| Atomic mass | 186.21 u |
| Category | Transition Metal |
| Period | 6 |
| Group | 7 |
| Electron configuration | [Xe] 4f¹⁴ 5d⁵ 6s² |
| Electronegativity | 1.9 |
| Covalent radius | 151 pm |
| Density | 21.02 g/cm³ |
| Melting point | 3459 K |
| Boiling point | 5869 K |
| Discovery | Noddack, Tacke & Berg, 1925 |
Overview
One of the rarest elements in Earth's crust. Used in jet engine alloys. Rhenium (Re) holds position 75 in the periodic table, a Transition Metal in period 6, group 7. As a transition metal it commonly shows several oxidation states, forms coloured compounds, and is widely used in catalysts and alloys.
It has the configuration [Xe] 4f¹⁴ 5d⁵ 6s² and an electronegativity near 1.9; its 2 outer-shell electrons drive its bonding. Under standard conditions it exists as a solid (a very high melting point); it melts near 3459 K (3185.9 °C), boils near 5869 K (5595.9 °C), has a density around 21.02 g/cm³.
It is widely used in Structural / Alloys and Catalysis. It was first described by Noddack, Tacke & Berg in 1925. Browse elements of the same category in the browse view.
Electron shells
Electrons per shell: 2 · 8 · 18 · 32 · 13 · 2
Main uses
- Structural / Alloys
- Catalysis
Hazard
Compounds containing Rhenium
No compounds in this knowledge base contain Rhenium yet.
Data sources
Atomic mass uses IUPAC (CIAAW) standard atomic weights; the covalent radius is from Cordero et al. (2008). Verify on the RSC Periodic Table, PubChem and Wikipedia. Educational reference only.