Zirconium
Circonio (Zr, Z=40)
- Date
- 1789 · confidence high
- Place
- Berlin, Germany
- Credited to
- Martin Heinrich Klaproth
- People
- 👤 Jöns Jacob Berzelius1779–1848👤 Martin Heinrich Klaproth1743–1817
- Field
- Matter & energy
What was discovered
Klaproth identified a new earth (zirconia) in a jargoon from Ceylon; Berzelius isolated the impure metal in 1824.
Its separation from hafnium was not achieved until the 20th century.
What it led to
- Nuclear fuel cladding (Zircaloy)
- Zirconia ceramics and cubic zirconia
- The Kroll and van Arkel processes for pure metal
Built on
- Gemmology of jargoon
- Klaproth's analysis
Made possible
- Zircaloy
- Cubic zirconia