Hafnium
Hafnio (Hf, Z=72)
- Date
- 1923 · confidence high
- Place
- Copenhagen, Denmark
- Credited to
- Dirk Coster and George de Hevesy
- People
- 👤 Dirk Coster1889–1950👤 George Hevesy1885–1966
- Field
- Matter & energy
⚠️ Disputed: the sources disagree.
What was discovered
Following Bohr's prediction that element 72 would be a zirconium homologue, Coster and Hevesy detected it by X-ray spectroscopy in zirconium minerals at Bohr's institute.
Urbain claimed 'celtium' in 1911 as a rare earth; the Franco-Danish dispute lasted years.
What it led to
- Confirmation of Bohr's atomic theory of the lanthanides
- Control rods for nuclear submarines
- High-k gate insulators in microprocessors
Built on
Made possible
- High-k hafnium transistors
- Hafnium control rods