Rhenium (Re)
"The Unyielding Titan, Rhenium laughs in the face of extreme heat and crushing pressure, forging the very engines that propel us to the stars. This rare powerhouse makes the impossible, possible!"
A memorable persona to anchor Re in your mind.
21.02
Grams per cm³
3185
Celsius (°C)
217
Radius (pm)
Daily Life Link
While you won't find it in your pocket, Rhenium helps power the jet engines that whisk people across continents every single day!
Discovery & History
Year Discovered
1925
Discovered By
Walter Noddack, Ida Tacke & Otto Berg
Origin of Name
"The name is derived from the Latin name for the Rhine, ''Rhenus''."
Technical Properties
Atomic Mass
186.207 u
Standard State
solid
Boiling Point
5590°C
Electron Configuration
[Xe] 4f145d56s2
1st Ionization Energy
7.88 eV
Electron Affinity
N/A
Oxidation States
"A sleek, silvery-white metal that's surprisingly heavy for its size, almost daring you to pick it up."
Did You Know?
Talk about a late bloomer! Rhenium was one of the very last naturally occurring elements to be discovered, finally isolated in 1925. It arrived fashionably late to the periodic table party!
Hold onto your protons! Rhenium boasts the *third highest melting point* of all the elements, blazing hot at an incredible 3,186 °C (5,767 °F). Only Tungsten and Carbon (as graphite) can take more heat!
This element is seriously hefty! Rhenium is the *fourth densest element* on Earth, packing a mighty punch at over twice the density of lead. Good luck lifting a Rhenium brick!
Without Rhenium, modern jet engines wouldn't be nearly as powerful or efficient. It's a key ingredient in superalloys for turbine blades, allowing them to withstand extreme temperatures.