Zirconium is a chemical element with symbol Zr and atomic number 40. It is a silvery white metal with hard texture and high ductility. Zirconium exists as a compound in nature, mainly in minerals such as zircon and baddeleyite.

Zirconium has many important uses. In the nuclear industry, zirconium alloy is often used as fuel rod shell of nuclear reactor because of its excellent corrosion resistance and neutron absorption performance. In addition, zirconium can also be used to manufacture various high-performance alloys and composite materials, such as engine parts and chemical equipment in the aerospace field.

In the jewelry industry, zircon is a common gem with beautiful appearance and high hardness. In addition, zirconium is also used to manufacture various refractories and superalloys, as well as vacuum tubes and light-emitting diodes in the electronic industry.

From the chemical point of view, zirconium belongs to the transition metal element and has many different oxidation states. The most common oxidation states are +2 and +4, and zirconium in the +4 oxidation state is the most stable. In chemical reactions, zirconium usually forms compounds with valence of * * *, and shows certain metallic and nonmetallic properties.

In addition, zirconium is also used in the nuclear industry, as a fuel rod shell in a nuclear reactor, which has excellent corrosion resistance and neutron absorption performance. At the same time, zirconium alloy can also be used to manufacture high-performance products such as aero-engines and chemical equipment. In the jewelry industry, zircon is a common gem with high hardness and beautiful appearance.

Zirconium is also widely used in biomedical field. Zirconium is used to manufacture artificial joints, dental implants and other medical equipment because of its good biocompatibility and corrosion resistance. In addition, zirconium and its compounds are also widely used in catalysis, ceramics, glass and optical fibers.

Generally speaking, zirconium is a widely used metal element. Zirconium plays an important role in industry, chemistry, jewelry and biomedicine. With the continuous progress of science and technology, the application fields of zirconium will continue to expand and make more contributions to the development of human society.