Hafnium Alloy Plate and Sheet

Hafnium is a lustrous, silvery-gray transition metal. Hafnium is so chemically similar to zirconium that separating the two elements is extremely difficult. Most commercial hafnium is produced as a byproduct of zirconium refining. Hafnium is remarkably corrosion-resistant and an excellent absorber of neutrons, allowing its use in nuclear submarines and nuclear reactor control rods. Control rods keep the fission chain reaction active but also prevent it from accelerating beyond control. Hafnium is also used in electronic equipment such as cathodes and capacitors, as well as in ceramics, photography flash bulbs, and light bulb filaments.