Ruthenium
Ruthenium (钌, symbol Ru) is chemical element number 44, a Transition Metal in period 5, group 8 of the periodic table, with a standard atomic weight of about 101.07. Rare, hard, white transition metal of the platinum group. Used in electronics and catalysis.
Properties
| Atomic number | 44 |
|---|---|
| Symbol | Ru |
| Atomic mass | 101.07 u |
| Category | Transition Metal |
| Period | 5 |
| Group | 8 |
| Electron configuration | [Kr] 4d⁷ 5s¹ |
| Electronegativity | 2.2 |
| Covalent radius | 146 pm |
| Density | 12.37 g/cm³ |
| Melting point | 2607 K |
| Boiling point | 4423 K |
| Discovery | Karl Ernst Claus, 1844 |
Overview
Rare, hard, white transition metal of the platinum group. Used in electronics and catalysis. Ruthenium (symbol Ru) is chemical element number 44, sitting in period 5, group 8 of the periodic table and classed as a Transition Metal. As a transition metal it commonly shows several oxidation states, forms coloured compounds, and is widely used in catalysts and alloys.
Its electron configuration is [Kr] 4d⁷ 5s¹, with 1 electron in the outer shell, and an electronegativity of about 2.2 (Pauling). Around 25 °C it is usually a solid (a very high melting point); it melts near 2607 K (2333.9 °C), boils near 4423 K (4149.9 °C), has a density around 12.37 g/cm³.
In industry and daily life it turns up in Catalysis, Electronics / Semiconductors and Precious Metal. It was first described by Karl Ernst Claus in 1844. The periodic trends guide explains the underlying patterns.
Electron shells
Electrons per shell: 2 · 8 · 18 · 15 · 1
Main uses
- Catalysis
- Electronics / Semiconductors
- Precious Metal
Hazard
Compounds containing Ruthenium
No compounds in this knowledge base contain Ruthenium 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.