44

Ru

Ruthenium
101.07 (2)
Historical Information

Ruthenium was isolated in 1844 by Karl Karlovich Klaus, who obtained ruthenium from the part of crude platinum that is insoluble in aqua regia. It is possible that a Polish chemist Jedrzej Sniadecki had in fact isolated ruthenium from some platinum ores rather earlier than this in 1807 but his work was not ratified, apparently as he withdrew his claims.
Basic Information Shells
  • Name: Ruthenium
  • Symbol: Ru
  • Atomic number: 44
  • Atomic weight: 101.07 (2)
  • Standard state: solid at 298 K
  • Group in periodic table: 8
  • Group name:Precious metal or Platinum group metal
  • Period in periodic table: 5
  • Block in periodic table: d-block
  • Classification: Metallic
 ruthenium
Uses Trivia
  • one of the most effective hardeners for platinum and palladium, and is alloyed with these metals to make electrical contacts for severe wear resistance
  • hardener for platinum and palladium, alloying for corrosion resistance

Ruthenium is a hard, white metal. It does not tarnish at room temperatures, but oxidises in air at about 800°C. The metal is not attacked by hot or cold acids or aqua regia, but when potassium chlorate is added to the solution, it oxidises explosively.