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Periodic Table of Elements

Element Ruthenium – Ru

Comprehensive data on the chemical element Ruthenium is provided on this page; including scores of properties, element names in many languages, most known nuclides of Ruthenium. Common chemical compounds are also provided for many elements. In addition technical terms are linked to their definitions and the menu contains links to related articles that are a great aid in one studies. Using the "Periodic Table of Elements Quick Navigation" graphic at the bottom of the sidebar menu, one can quickly jump from chemical element to chemical element.

Ruthenium Menu

• Ruthenium Page One
  • Overview of Ruthenium
  • Ruthenium's Name in Other Languages
  • Atomic Structure of Ruthenium
  • Chemical Properties of Ruthenium
  • Physical Properties of Ruthenium
  • Regulatory / Health
  • Who/When/Where/How
• Ruthenium Page Two
  • Nuclides / Isotopes
  • Potential Parent Nuclides

Overview of Ruthenium

• Atomic Number:44
• Group: 8
• Period: 5
• Series: Transition Metals

Ruthenium's Name in Other Languages

• Latin: Ruthenium
• Czech: Ruthenium
• Croatian: Rutenij
• French: Ruthénium
• German: Ruthenium - s
• Italian: Rutenio
• Norwegian: Ruthenium
• Portuguese: Rutênio
• Russian:
• Spanish: Rutenio
• Swedish: Rutenium

Atomic Structure of Ruthenium

• Atomic Radius: 1.89Å
• Atomic Volume: 8.3cm³/mol
• Covalent Radius: 1.25Å
• Cross Section (Thermal Neutron Capture) _a/barns: 2.56
• Crystal Structure: Hexagonal

  

• Electron Configuration:

  1s² 2s²p⁶ 3s²p⁶d¹⁰ 4s²p⁶d⁷ 5s¹

• Electrons per Energy Level: 2,8,18,15,1

  Shell Model
  

• Ionic Radius: 0.68Å
• Filling Orbital: 4d⁷
• Number of Electrons (with no charge): 44
• Number of Neutrons (most common/stable nuclide): 57
• Number of Protons: 44
• Oxidation States: 2,3,4,6,8
• Valence Electrons: 4d⁷ 5s¹

  Electron Dot Model
  

Chemical Properties of Ruthenium

• Electrochemical Equivalent: 1.257g/amp-hr
• Electron Work Function: 4.71eV
• Electronegativity: 2.2 (Pauling); 1.42 (Allrod Rochow)
• Heat of Fusion: 24kJ/mol
• Incompatibilities:

• Ionization Potential
  • First: 7.37
  • Second: 16.76
  • Third: 28.47
• Valence Electron Potential (-eV): 64

Physical Properties of Ruthenium

• Atomic Mass Average: 101.07
• Boiling Point: 4173K 3900°C 7052°F
• Coefficient of lineal thermal expansion/K^-1: 9.1E^-6
• Conductivity

  Electrical: 0.137 10⁶/cm
  Thermal: 1.17 W/cmK

• Density: 12.37g/cc @ 300K
• Description:

  Rare hard brittle silvery metal, which is unaffected by air water and acids, but is dissolved by molten alkalis.

• Elastic Modulus:
  • Bulk: 286/GPa
  • Rigidity: 173/GPa
  • Youngs: 432/GPa
• Enthalpy of Atomization: 603 kJ/mole @ 25°C
• Enthalpy of Fusion: 25.5 kJ/mole
• Enthalpy of Vaporization: 567.8 kJ/mole
• Flammablity Class:
• Freezing Point: see melting point
• Hardness Scale
  • Brinell: 2160 MN m^-2
  • Mohs: 6.5
• Heat of Vaporization: 595kJ/mol
• Melting Point: 2523K 2250°C 4082°F
  
• Molar Volume: 8.22 cm³/mole
• Physical State (at 20°C & 1atm): Solid
• Specific Heat: 0.238J/gK
• Vapor Pressure = 1.4Pa@2250°C

Regulatory / Health

• CAS Number
  • 7440-18-8
• OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL)
  • No limits set by OSHA
• OSHA PEL Vacated 1989
  • No limits set by OSHA
• NIOSH Recommended Exposure Limit (REL)
  • No limits set by NIOSH
• Levels In Humans:
  Note: this data represents naturally occuring levels of elements in the typical human, it DOES NOT represent recommended daily allowances.
  • Blood/mg dm^-3: n/a
  • Bone/p.p.m: n/a
  • Liver/p.p.m: n/a
  • Muscle/p.p.m: n/a
  • Daily Dietary Intake: n/a
  • Total Mass In Avg. 70kg human: n/a
• Discovery Year: 1808
• Name Origin:

  From Ruthenia Latin name of Russia.

• Abundance of Ruthenium:
  • Earth's Crust/p.p.m.: 0.001
  • Seawater/p.p.m.: N/A
  • Atmosphere/p.p.m.: N/A
  • Sun (Relative to H=1E¹²): 67.6
• Sources of Ruthenium:

  Found in pentlandite and pyroxinite. Produced as a by-product of nickel refining. Around 0.12 tons are produced world wide on an annual basis. Primary mining areas are South Africa, Russia, Canada, USA and Zimbabwe.

• Uses of Ruthenium:

  Used to harden platinum and palladium. Also used in eye treatments, thickness meters for egg shells, fountain pen points, and electrical contacts. Aircraft magnetos use platinum alloy with 10% ruthenium.

• Additional Notes:

  Some sources credit G.W. Osann of discovering ruthenium at the University of Tartu Russia in 1928, but this is was really only a "rediscovery".

[Last update: 2/22/2007]

Notes below

Ruthenium Menu

• Ruthenium Page One
  • Overview of Ruthenium
  • Ruthenium's Name in Other Languages
  • Atomic Structure of Ruthenium
  • Chemical Properties of Ruthenium
  • Physical Properties of Ruthenium
  • Regulatory / Health
  • Who/When/Where/How
• Ruthenium Page Two
  • Nuclides / Isotopes
  • Potential Parent Nuclides

Related Resources

• Anatomy of the Atom
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• Molar Mass Calculations and Javascript Calculator
  Molar mass calculations are explained and there is a JavaScript calculator to aid calculations.
• Chemical Database
  This database focuses on the most common chemical compounds used in the home and industry.

Citing this page

If you need to cite this page, you can copy this text:

Kenneth Barbalace. Periodic Table of Elements - Ruthenium – Ru. EnvironmentalChemistry.com. 1995 - 2008. Accessed on-line: 5/9/2008
http://EnvironmentalChemistry.com/yogi/periodic/Ru.html
.