Zirconium Applications

Zirconium is used extensively in the energy and chemical industries. More than 90% of zirconium metal production is consumed by commercial nuclear power generation. Modern commercial scale reactors can use as much as a 150,000 meters of zirconium alloy ( Zircaloy ) tubing. Zirconium is also used in ceramic, glass, medical and fashion industries.

Energy Industry

Zirconium has a low absorption cross-section for thermal neutrons, which makes it ideal for nuclear energy uses, such as cladding fuel elements. Reactor-grade zirconium has to be purified of hafnium contamination, as hafnium has very high neutron absorption cross-section, 600 times higher than zirconium. A hafnium-free zirconium can be 10 times more expensive than commercial zirconium naturally contains 1-5% of hafnium.

Chemical and Other Industries

Zirconium is extensively used by the chemical industry for piping in corrosive environments. Zirconium is used in heat exchangers as a getter in vacuum tubes, as an alloying agent in steel, in surgical appliances, photoflash bulbs, explosive primers, rayon spinnerets, lamp filaments, etc. It is easily biocompatible with human tissues, which makes it suitable for surgical appliances and medical implants.

With niobium, zirconium is superconductive at low temperatures and is used to make superconductive magnets, which offer hope of direct large-scale generation of electric power. Its carbonate is used in poison ivy lotions as it combines with urushiol. Zirconium oxide (zircon) has a high index of refraction and is used as a gem material. The impure oxide, zirconia, is used for laboratory crucibles that will withstand heat shock, for linings of metallurgical furnaces, and by the glass and ceramic industries as a refractory material. Its use as a refractory material accounts for a large share of all zirconium consumed.