Osmium Powder

Osmium Powder

Osmium is a chemical element with the symbol Os and atomic number 76. It is a bluish, hard, and brittle white transition metal in the platinum group which is found as a trace element in the alloys, mainly in the platinum minerals. Osmium is the densest natural element, with an experimentally measured density of 22.59 g / cm3. Producers use their alloys with platinum, iridium, and other metals from the platinum group to perform the tips, electrical contacts, and other applications that require extreme durability and hardness. The abundance of the element in the earth’s crust is among the rarest.

Osmium is a shiny silvery metal, one of the so-called platinum group metals. It is the densest metal known, albeit very tight. Osmium does not act on water and acids, but it dissolves in molten alkalis. Osmium powder reacts slowly with atmospheric oxygen and releases a significant amount of osmium tetroxide vapor.

The metal is used in various alloys and in industry as a catalyst. It was once found in the nibs of high-quality fountain pens, compass needles, durable phonograph needles and watch bearings due to its exceptional hardness and corrosion resistance.