Thorium has a number of uses. It is added to magnesium alloys to improve strength. It can be used as a radiation shield. It has is used in ceramics for heat resistance in high temperature crucibles. It has a number of other specialty uses.
Thorium has the potential to be used in nuclear reactors, because it is fertile. It can be used in reactors that have promise of producing almost no waste, it does not need enrichment, and the supply of it is far greater than the supply of uranium. It is estimated that if we switched to thorium for our electric supply, the reserve is sufficient to provide for current levels of consumption for thousands of years.
Some thorium uses:
- fertile material (as ThO2) in nuclear power reactors; is a precursor of the fissile isotope 233U.
- thorium dioxide can be used as refractory material for crucibles, tubes, rods, etc.
- thorium tetrafluoride (ThF4) is used as anti-reflection coating in optics.
- gas mantles (as ThO2)
- alloying metal for some aviation components (magnesium-thorium alloy, magnesium-zinc-thorium); also for welding alloys wolfram-thorium
- additive (as ThO2) in wolfram filaments - to stop crystalline growth of W and to increase time of use of light bulbs
- catalyst in organic chemistry (as ThO2)
- additive for special glass (as ThO2)
- additive in filaments (as ThO2) of magnetron tubes
- reagent in chemistry laboratories (as thorium nitrate)
- etc.
Some thorium uses:
- fertile material (as ThO2) in nuclear power reactors; is a precursor of the fissile isotope 233U.
- thorium dioxide can be used as refractory material for crucibles, tubes, rods, etc.
- thorium tetrafluoride (ThF4) is used as anti-reflection coating in optics.
- gas mantles (as ThO2)
- alloying metal for some aviation components (magnesium-thorium alloy, magnesium-zinc-thorium); also for welding alloys wolfram-thorium
- additive (as ThO2) in wolfram filaments - to stop crystalline growth of W and to increase time of use of light bulbs
- catalyst in organic chemistry (as ThO2)
- additive for special glass (as ThO2)
- additive in filaments (as ThO2) of magnetron tubes
- reagent in chemistry laboratories (as thorium nitrate)
- etc.
Thorium occurs quite widely in nature, the best source is monazite sand. Extraction is a chemical process, see the Wikipedia article on Thorium
- in stainless steel containers for bulk quantities
- in glass or plastic bottles for laboratory use
Any use now.
Thorium is a chemical element not so reactive.
Thorium is a paramagnetic metal, not ferromagnetic.
Thermal conductivity of thorium: 54 W/m.K. Electrical resistivity of thorium at 0 0C: 54 nano ohm.m.
The name thorium is derived from Thor, god of war in the Scandinavian mythology.
The abundance of thorium in the Earth crust is approx. 12 ppm.
Being a radioactive material thorium is stored in controlled conditions in closed spaces, guarded and under a strict inventory.
Common compounds of thorium: thorium dioxide, thorium trifluoride, thorium tetrafluoride, thorium tetrachloride, thorium triiodide, thorium diiodide, thorium tetraiodide, thorium nitrate, thorium oxalate, thorium carbide, thorium sulfides, thorium nitride, thorium oxinate, etc.
Hazards and Health Considerations: Thorium presents both a toxic and radiological hazard. Toxicologically, it causes heavy metal poisoning similar to lead or the uranium isotopes. Biologically, thorium accumulates in the skeletal system where it has a biological half-life of 200 years, the same as plutonium. An M 17 protective mask and standard anti-contamination clothing will adequately protect against thorium.
Thorium and fluorine Thorium trifluoride - ThF3 Thorium tetrafluoride - ThF4
Thorium don't smell.
Thorium (Th).
Thorium-232 is appearing in the thorium series.
Thorium is a natural, radioactive, chemical element; chemically, thorium is homogeneous.
Thorium: soft but strong! Thorium is totally radioactive!
Thorium is a tetravalent element. Thorium react slowly with water; thorium can react with concentrated nitric acid and hydrogen chloride. Thorium can react with the majority of other chemical elements. The Pauling electronegativity of thorium is 1,3.
Also thorium.
Bitumen has not thorium.