Technetium
Technetium (tek-NEE-she-em) is a radioactive, silvery-grey synthetic metal. Out of all the elements, it is the lightest one whose isotopes are all radioactive. Its longest-lived isotope 97Tc has a (beta) half-life of 4.2 million years.
| Technetium | |
|---|---|
| Properties | |
| Atomic symbol | Tc |
| Atomic number | 43 |
| Classification | Metallic |
| Atomic mass | 97 amu |
| Number of Stable Isotopes | 0 |
| Melting point (°C) | 3915 °F (2157 °C or 2430 K) |
| Boiling point (°C) | 7709 °F (4265 °C or 4538 K) |
| Density (grams per cc) | 11 g/cm3 |
| Other Information | |
| Date of discovery | 1937 |
| Name of discoverer | Carlo Perrier and Emillo G. Segre |
| Name origin | from the Greek tekhnetos, meaning artificial. |
| Uses | Source of radiation for medical research. |
| Obtained from | Manufactured by bombarding Molybdenum with heavy hydrogen in a cyclotron. Only minute quantities have been found outside the laboratory, as a by-product of the fission of Uranium-238. |
History
In 1937, the Italian chemists Carlo Perrier and Emilio Segrè isolated Technetium using a cyclotron; it was the first artificially produced (synthetic) element. Since this element has such a short half-life, it cannot be found in nature.[1] Before this time, it had been predicted but never found.[2]
Uses
The primary use of Technetium is for medical exploration as a tracer. It can also be added to steel for corrosion resistance. This not usually practical, however, since it is a radioactive material.[3]