Hf

Hafnium (Atomic Number 72)

Category: transition | Period 6, Group 4 | Block: d

High dielectric transition metal used in computer processor gates.

Atomic & Physical Constants

Standard Atomic Weight:
178.492 u
Standard State Phase:
Solid
Electron Configuration:
2, 8, 18, 32, 10, 2
Electronegativity (Pauling):
1.3
Melting Point:
2506 K
Boiling Point:
4876 K

Historical Discovery & Real-World Applications

Industrial & Scientific Uses

Microprocessor high-k gate insulators, nuclear control rods

Discovery History

Discovered by Dirk Coster (1923).

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