Iridium – The Metal from Asteroids

Iridium is an element with the symbol Ir and has an atomic number of 77. It was discovered by
Smithson Tennant in 1803 . It’s located in the 6th period and 9th gro/up of the periodic table Even
though it’s not an element part of the rare earth elements (REE) but it belongs a group called the
platinum group metals (PGM). Iridium faces many distinctive sets of challenges due to rising demand
and lack of limited natural sources, particularly in the space and automobile industry. This scientific
report aims to provide and in-depth exploration of Iridium, covering its chemical properties, physical
properties, sources, applications and factors influencing it’s supply, along with the ethical
consideration associated with its utilization.

From a chemical perspective, Iridium is the second densest naturally occurring element. It has an
electronic configuration of 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 4s2 3d10 4p6 5s2 4d10 5p6 6s2 4f14 5d7 , it has a variable
oxidation states ranging from -3 to +9 but most common oxidation states are +1 ,+3 and +4 It has 2
naturally occurring isotopes 191Ir with natural abundance of 37.3% and 193Ir with a natural abundance of
62.7%.It also has 37 radioisotopes which have been synthesised ranging in mass number from 164 to
202. Iridium is also the least corrosive-resistance metal known to man.

From a physical perspective , Iridium is white, resembling Platinum ,but with slight yellowish cast. It’s a
very hard metal and highly brittle in nature. It has a melting point of 2466C , and a 10th highest boiling
point of 4428C ,and becomes a superconductor when the temperatures are below -273.10C.
Iridium’s Modulus of elasticity is 2nd highest among metals in the periodic table. It’s also the 2nd
densest element know to man . Due to hardness and brittleness Iridium is very difficult to
machine ,form or work; thus it’s powered metallurgy is employed instead. In the Vickers Hardness test
more then 50% of the metal crosses 500HV.

Iridium occurs with other PGM as dilute ores . To separate the metals they are made in a solutions.
Two methods for rendering I r containing ores soluble are fusion of the solid with sodium
peroxide followed by extraction of the resulting glass in aqua regia and extraction of the solid with a
mixture of chlorine with hydrochloric acid. From soluble extracts, iridium is separated by precipitating
solid ammonium hexachloroiridate .The second method can be planned as continuous liquid–liquid
extraction and is therefore more suitable for industrial scale production. In either case, the product, an
iridium chloride salt, is reduced with hydrogen, yielding the metal as a powder or sponge, which is
amenable to powder metallurgy techniques. Iridium is also obtained commercially as a by-product
from nickel and copper mining and processing. During electrorefining of copper and nickel, noble
metals such as silver, gold and the platinum group metals as well as selenium and tellurium settle to
the bottom of the cell as anode mud, which forms the starting point for their extraction.

Iridium’s significance is mainly in the automotive industry and space industry. In the space industry
iridium alloys are used in the fabrication of rocket nozzles as it prevents corrosion by oxidation at very
high temperatures . In the aviation industry it’s used in the making of turbine blades as it is lightweight
and heat resistance also it improves efficiency of the engine . In the medical industry Iridium is used in
handpieces and other instruments for use in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and spectroscopy. A
source of neutron radiation, iridium-192 or iridium-192m is usually used as the radiation emitter in
these devices. To protect patients from the harmful effects of their exposure, an iridium alloy shield
may be deposited between the patient and the radiation source. It provides shielding to reduce dosage
required per irradiation time and to avoid damaging tissue in cases where radiation exposure is

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excessive. In the automotive industry it is used in the making of spark plug tips making them more
durable . In the Tv industry Iridium complexes are key components of white OLEDs.

The endangered aspect of iridium is due to limited availability in the earths crust comprising only about
0.001 parts per million (ppm) by mass . Moreover Iridium does not naturally occurring element as is
mostly found in asteroids and meteorites . As the demand for space exploration increases the supply
of iridium has decreased drastically . which has lead to price increases and lack of the resource. Thus
prompting a decision on long term sustainability .

From an environmental standpoint the use of iridium has reduced the amount of green house gases
produced by airplane by improving the efficiency , it also reduces the amount of waste produced by
spark plugs by making them more durable.

From a social standpoint the use of iridium in a MRI machine has helped us to identify the problems in
the human body with out cutting open the body and it also saves us time which is very crucial in the
medial industry . it identifies the problem in the human very quickly and might a save a person who is
in serious danger . it is also used in brachytherapy, a medical treatment for certain types of cancer.

In conclusion , Iridium has to face a set of challenges stemming from its limited availability, growing
demand. To ensure the continued availability of this remarkable element in the Modern age there is a
need for responsible sourcing, sustainable practices, and careful consideration of the ethical and
environmental impact of its applications. Balancing technological progress with responsible resource
management is key to iridium’s enduring role in space exploration and in the medical field

Citations :

1. Iridium - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iridium - Accessed on the 3rd of September

2. What is common uses of iridium and its applications? -
https://www.echemi.com/cms/1069303.html#:~:text=Iridium%20alloys%20are%20also
%20used,by%20oxidation%20at%20high%20temperatures. - Accessed on the 3rd of
September
3. Chemical Properties of Iridium - https://byjus.com/chemistry/iridium/ - Accessed on the 3rd of
September
4. Iridium Chemical element - https://www.britannica.com/science/iridium - Accessed on the 3rd
of September
5. What is iridium - https://www.rsc.org/periodic-table/element/77/iridium#:~:text=Iridium%20is%20a
%20hard%2C%20silvery,most%20corrosion%2Dresistant%20material%20known. – Accessed on the
3rd of September

Word count : 951 words including the heading of the report