| Atomic Mass | 186.207 |
|---|---|
| Electron Configuration | [Xe]6s24f145d5 |
| Oxidation States | +7, +6, +4 |
| Year Discovered | 1925 |
| Atomic Mass | 186.207 |
|---|---|
| Electron Configuration | [Xe]6s24f145d5 |
| Oxidation States | +7, +6, +4 |
| Year Discovered | 1925 |
| Element Name | Rhenium |
|---|---|
| Element Symbol | Re |
| InChI | InChI=1S/Re |
| InChIKey | WUAPFZMCVAUBPE-UHFFFAOYSA-N |
| Atomic Weight |
186.207(1) 186.207 186.2 186.207(1) |
|---|---|
| Electron Configuration |
[Xe]6s24f145d5 |
| Atomic Radius |
Van der Waals Atomic Radius : 217 pm (Van der Waals) Empirical Atomic Radius : 135pm (Empirical) Covalent Atomic Radius : 151(7) pm (Covalent) |
| Oxidation States |
+7, +6, +4 7, 6, 5, 4, 3, 2, 1, 0, -1, -3 (a mildly acidic oxide) |
| Ground Level |
6S5/2 |
| Ionization Energy |
7.88 eV 7.83352 ± 0.00011 eV |
| Electronegativity |
Pauling Scale Electronegativity : 1.9(Pauling Scale) Allen Scale Electronegativity : 1.6(Allen Scale) |
| Electron Affinity |
0.15eV 0.38eV |
| Atomic Spectra |
Lines Holdings Levels Holdings |
| Physical Description |
Solid |
| Element Classification |
Metal |
| Element Period Number |
6 |
| Element Group Number |
7 |
| Density |
20.8 grams per cubic centimeter |
| Melting Point |
3459 K (3186°C or 5767°F) 3186°C |
| Boiling Point |
5869 K (5596°C or 10105°F) 5630°C |
| Estimated Crustal Abundance |
7×10-4 milligrams per kilogram |
| Estimated Oceanic Abundance |
4×10-6 milligrams per liter |
The name derives from the Latin rhenus for the Rhine river in Germany. Rhenium was discovered by x-ray spectroscopy in 1925 by German chemists Walter Noddack, Ida Tacke, and Otto Berg.
Rhenium was discovered by the German chemists Ida Tacke-Noddack, Walter Noddack and Otto Carl Berg in 1925. They detected rhenium spectroscopically in platinum ores and in the minerals columbite ((Fe, Mn, Mg)(Nb, Ta)2O6), gadolinite ((Ce, La, Nd, Y)2FeBe2Si2O10) and molybdenite (MoS2). Rhenium is present in these materials only in trace amounts. In 1928, Noddack and Berg were able to extract 1 gram of rhenium from 660 kilograms of molybdenite. Today, rhenium is obtained as a byproduct of refining molybdenum and copper.
Discovery of rhenium is generally attributed to Noddack, Tacke, and Berg, who announced in 1925 they had detected the element in platinum ore and columbite. They also found the element in gadolinite and molybdenite. By working up 660 kg of molybdenite in 1928 they were able to extract 1 g of rhenium.
| Year | Atomic Weight (uncertainty) [u] | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| 1973 | 186.207(1) | https://doi.org/10.1351/pac197437040589 |
| 1969 | 186.2(1) | https://doi.org/10.1351/pac197021010091 |
| 1961 | 186.2 | https://doi.org/10.1021/ja00881a001 |
| 1955 | 186.22 | https://doi.org/10.1021/ja01595a001 |
| 1931 | 186.31 | https://doi.org/10.1039/JR9310001617 |
| Year | Isotope | Abundance (uncertainty) | Reference |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2013 | 185Re | 0.3740(5) | https://doi.org/10.1515/pac-2015-0503 |
| 2013 | 187Re | 0.6260(5) | https://doi.org/10.1515/pac-2015-0503 |
| 1979 | 185Re | 0.3740(2) | https://doi.org/10.1351/pac198052102349 |
| 1979 | 187Re | 0.6260(2) | https://doi.org/10.1351/pac198052102349 |
| 1975 | 185Re | 0.374 | https://doi.org/10.1351/pac197647010075 |
| 1975 | 187Re | 0.626 | https://doi.org/10.1351/pac197647010075 |
The element is silvery white with a metallic luster; its density is exceeded only by that of platinum, iridium, and osmium, and its melting point is exceeded only by that of tungsten and carbon.
The usual commercial form of the element is powder, but it can be consolidated by pressing and resistance-sintering in a vacuum or hydrogen atmosphere. This process produces a compact shape in excess of 90 percent of the density of the metal.
Annealed rhenium is very ductile, and can be bent, coiled, or rolled. Rhenium is used as an additive to tungsten and molybdenum -based alloys to impart useful properties.
Rhenium is used in flash lamps for photography and for filaments in mass spectrographs and ion gages, but is most frequently used as an alloying agent in tungsten and molybdenum and as a catalyst for performing certain reactions to a type of hydrocarbon known as an olefin.
It is widely used as filaments for mass spectrographs and ion gauges. Rhenium-molybdenum alloys are superconductive at 10 K.
Rhenium is also used as an electrical contact material because it has good wear resistance and withstands arc corrosion. Thermocouples made of Re-W are used for measuring temperatures up to 2200C, and rhenium wire is used in photoflash lamps for photography.
Rhenium catalysts are exceptionally resistant to poisoning from nitrogen, sulfur, and phosphorus, and are used for hydrogenation of fine chemicals.
Rhenium does not occur free in nature or as a compound in a distinct mineral species. It is, however, widely spread throughout the earth's crust to the extent of about 0.001 ppm. Commercial rhenium in the U.S. today is obtained from molybdenum roaster-flue dusts obtained from copper-sulfide ores mined in the vicinity of Miami, Arizona and elsewhere in Arizona and in Utah.
Some molybdenum contains from 0.002% to 0.2% rhenium. More than 150,000 troy ounces of rhenium are now being produced yearly in the United States. The total estimated Free World reserve of rhenium metal is 3500 tons. Rhenium metal is prepared by reducing ammonium perrhentate with hydrogen at elevated temperatures.
See more information at the Rhenium compound page.
| CID | Name | Formula | SMILES | Molecular Weight |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 23947 | rhenium | Re | [Re] | 186.207 |
| 161105 | rhenium-186 | Re | [186Re] | 185.954989 |
| 161062 | rhenium-187 | Re | [187Re] | 186.955752 |
| 167082 | rhenium-188 | Re | [188Re] | 187.958114 |
| 177020 | rhenium-177 | Re | [177Re] | 176.9503 |
| 177539 | rhenium-181 | Re | [181Re] | 180.9501 |
| 25087171 | rhenium-185 | Re | [185Re] | 184.952958 |
| 177157 | rhenium-182 | Re | [182Re] | 181.951 |
| 177533 | rhenium-184 | Re | [184Re] | 183.95253 |
| 177675 | rhenium-189 | Re | [189Re] | 188.95923 |
| 25087175 | rhenium-183 | Re | [183Re] | 182.95082 |
| 177019 | rhenium-178 | Re | [178Re] | 177.9510 |
| 44154623 | rhenium-180 | Re | [180Re] | 179.9508 |
| Stable Isotope Count | 1 |
|---|---|
| Summary | Natural rhenium is a mixture of two stable isotopes. Twenty six other unstable isotopes are recognized. |
The rhenium-osmium dating method is of special interest for the dating of rhenium-bearing ores, gold deposits, copper-nickel deposits, and meteorites. This method is based on the beta-decay of 187Re (having a half-life of 41.6×109 years) to 187Os, an example of which appears in Fig. IUPAC.75.1 [515].
![Fig. IUPAC.75.1: Cross plot of n(¹⁸⁷Os)/n(¹⁸⁸Os) isotope-amount ratio and n(¹⁸⁷Re)/n(¹⁸⁸Os) amount ratio of marine and non-marine organic-rich sediments and coals from Egypt (modified from [515]). The Maghara area (about 200 km east of Cairo) has middle-Jurassic coal beds (about 165×10⁶ years old, identified by the green dotted line). The age of marine black shales in the Red Sea area was previously estimated as 74×10⁶ years old, identified by the blue dotted line. ¹⁸⁷Os is produced by decay of ¹⁸⁷Re. Samples from an older formation will have proportionally more ¹⁸⁷Os because of the longer accumulation time for ¹⁸⁷Os; thus, the slope of the line for the Maghara coals (turquoise triangles), having an age of 165×10⁶ years, is substantially higher than the slope of the Red Sea specimens. Note the analytical challenges in obtaining isotope-amount values that plot near the 165- and 74-million-year isochrons. Many of the values plot between the isochrons.](https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/images/iupac/j_pac-2015-0703_fig_103.jpg)
186Re (with a half-life of 89 h) is a beta-emitting radioisotope that is used for cancer treatment, in particular for pain relief in bone cancer and in rheumatoid arthritis (see radiosynovectomy). It is produced from the stable isotope 185Re via the 185Re (n, γ) 186Re reaction [188]. 186Re is also used for radiolabeling of cancer therapeutic agents [188]. 188Re (with a half-life of 17 h) is used to irradiate coronary arteries with beta particles during insertion of an angioplasty balloon (a tiny balloon that is inserted into an artery and inflated to flatten plaque build-up and improve blood flow) and in palliative therapy, particularly for bone metastases. The beta irradiation can decrease scar tissue formation after the overstretching of arteries by angioplasty.
| Isotope | Atomic Mass (uncertainty) [u] | Abundance (uncertainty) |
|---|---|---|
| 185Re | 184.952 958(6) | 0.3740(5) |
| 187Re | 186.955 752(5) | 0.6260(5) |
| Isotope | Atomic Mass (uncertainty) [u] | Abundance (uncertainty) |
|---|---|---|
| 185Re | 184.9529545(13) | 0.3740(2) |
| 187Re | 186.9557501(16) | 0.6260(2) |
| Nuclide | Atomic Mass and Uncertainty [u] | Half Life and Uncertainty | Discovery Year | Decay Modes, Intensities and Uncertainties [%] |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 159Re | 158.984106 ± 0.000327 [Estimated] | 40 us [Estimated] | 2006 | p ?; α ? |
| 159Rem | 158.984106 ± 0.000327 [Estimated] | 20 us ± 4 | 2006 | p=92.5±3.5%; α=7.5±3.5% |
| 160Re | 159.981880 ± 0.000322 [Estimated] | 611 us ± 7 | 1992 | p=89±0.1%; α=11±0.1% |
| 160Rem | 159.981880 ± 0.000322 [Estimated] | 2.8 us ± 0.1 | 2011 | IT=100% |
| 161Re | 160.977624313 ± 0.00016093 | 440 us ± 1 | 1979 | p≈100%; α ? |
| 161Rem | 160.977624313 ± 0.00016093 | 14.7 ms ± 0.3 | 1979 | α=93.0±0.3%; p=7.0±0.3% |
| 162Re | 161.975896 ± 0.000215 [Estimated] | 107 ms ± 13 | 1979 | α=94±0.6%; β+ ? |
| 162Rem | 161.975896 ± 0.000215 [Estimated] | 77 ms ± 9 | 1979 | α=91±0.5%; β+ ? |
| 163Re | 162.972085434 ± 0.000019897 | 390 ms ± 70 | 1979 | β+ ?; α=32±0.3% |
| 163Rem | 162.972085434 ± 0.000019897 | 214 ms ± 5 | 1979 | α=66±0.4%; β+ ? |
| 164Re | 163.970507122 ± 0.000058566 | 719 ms ± 89 | 1979 | α=?; β+ ? |
| 164Rem | 163.970507122 ± 0.000058566 | 890 ms ± 130 | 2009 | β+ ?; α=3±0.1% |
| 165Re | 164.967085831 ± 0.000025328 | 1.6 s ± 0.6 | 1981 | β+=86±0.8%; α=14±0.8% |
| 165Rem | 164.967085831 ± 0.000025328 | 1.74 s ± 0.06 | 1978 | β+=87±0.1%; α=13±0.1% |
| 166Re | 165.965821216 ± 0.000094731 | 2.25 s ± 0.21 | 1978 | β+=88±0.7%; α=12±0.7% |
| 166Rep | 165.965821216 ± 0.000094731 | 3 s [Estimated] | β+ ?; α ?; IT ? | |
| 167Re | 166.962604 ± 0.000043 [Estimated] | 3.4 s ± 0.4 | 1992 | α≈100%; β+=? |
| 167Rem | 166.962604 ± 0.000043 [Estimated] | 5.9 s ± 0.3 | 1984 | β+ ?; α=? |
| 168Re | 167.961572607 ± 0.000033087 | 4.4 s ± 0.1 | 1992 | β+≈100%; α≈0.005% |
| 169Re | 168.958765979 ± 0.000012204 | 8.1 s ± 0.5 | 1978 | β+=?; α=0.005±0.3% |
| 169Rem | 168.958765979 ± 0.000012204 | 15.1 s ± 1.5 | 1984 | β+ ?; α= ?; IT ? |
| 170Re | 169.958234844 ± 0.000012267 | >1 s [Estimated] | 1974 | β+=100% |
| 170Rem | 169.958234844 ± 0.000012267 | 9.2 s ± 0.2 | 1974 | β+=?; IT ? |
| 170Ren | 169.958234844 ± 0.000012267 | 130 ns ± 10 | 1974 | IT=100% |
| 171Re | 170.955716000 ± 0.00003 | 15.2 s ± 0.4 | 1987 | β+=100% |
| 172Re | 171.955376165 ± 0.000038183 | 55 s ± 5 | 1977 | β+=100% |
| 172Rem | 171.955376165 ± 0.000038183 | 15 s ± 3 | 1972 | β+=100% |
| 173Re | 172.953243000 ± 0.00003 | 2.0 m ± 0.3 | 1986 | β+=100% |
| 174Re | 173.953115000 ± 0.00003 | 2.40 m ± 0.04 | 1972 | β+=100% |
| 174Rem | 173.953115000 ± 0.00003 | 1 m >1us [Estimated] | 2012 | IT ?; β+ ? |
| 175Re | 174.951381000 ± 0.00003 | 5.89 m ± 0.05 | 1967 | β+=100% |
| 176Re | 175.951623000 ± 0.00003 | 5.3 m ± 0.3 | 1967 | β+=100% |
| 177Re | 176.950328000 ± 0.00003 | 14 m ± 1 | 1957 | β+=100% |
| 177Rem | 176.950328000 ± 0.00003 | >100 ns | IT=100% | |
| 177Ren | 176.950328000 ± 0.00003 | 50 us ± 10 | 1972 | IT=100% |
| 178Re | 177.950989000 ± 0.00003 | 13.2 m ± 0.2 | 1957 | β+=100% |
| 179Re | 178.949989686 ± 0.00002645 | 19.5 m ± 0.1 | 1960 | β+=100% |
| 179Rem | 178.949989686 ± 0.00002645 | 95 us ± 25 | 1972 | IT=100% |
| 179Ren | 178.949989686 ± 0.00002645 | 408 ns ± 12 | 1972 | IT=100% |
| 179Rep | 178.949989686 ± 0.00002645 | 466 us ± 15 | 1989 | IT=100% |
| 180Re | 179.950791568 ± 0.000022965 | 2.46 m ± 0.03 | 1955 | β+=100% |
| 180Rem | 179.950791568 ± 0.000022965 | >1 us [Estimated] | 2005 | IT≈100%; β+ ? |
| 180Ren | 179.950791568 ± 0.000022965 | 9.0 us ± 0.7 | 2005 | IT=100% |
| 181Re | 180.950061507 ± 0.000013471 | 19.9 h ± 0.7 | 1957 | β+=100% |
| 181Rem | 180.950061507 ± 0.000013471 | 156.7 ns ± 1.9 | 1967 | IT=100% |
| 181Ren | 180.950061507 ± 0.000013471 | 250 ns ± 10 | 1974 | IT=100% |
| 181Rep | 180.950061507 ± 0.000013471 | 11.5 us ± 0.9 | 2000 | IT=100% |
| 181Req | 180.950061507 ± 0.000013471 | 1.2 us ± 0.2 | 2000 | IT=100% |
| 182Re | 181.951211560 ± 0.000109483 | 64.2 h ± 0.5 | 1950 | β+=100% |
| 182Rem | 181.951211560 ± 0.000109483 | 14.14 h ± 0.45 | 1950 | β+=100% |
| 182Ren | 181.951211560 ± 0.000109483 | 585 ns ± 30 | 1969 | IT=100% |
| 182Rep | 181.951211560 ± 0.000109483 | 780 ns ± 90 | 1984 | IT=100% |
| 183Re | 182.950821306 ± 0.000008625 | 70.0 d ± 1.4 | 1950 | ε=100% |
| 183Rem | 182.950821306 ± 0.000008625 | 1.04 ms ± 0.04 | 1966 | IT=100% |
| 184Re | 183.952528073 ± 0.00000459 | 35.4 d ± 0.7 | 1940 | β+=100% |
| 184Rem | 183.952528073 ± 0.00000459 | 169 d ± 8 | 1964 | IT=74.5±0.8%; ε=25.5±0.8% |
| 185Re | 184.952958320 ± 0.000000879 | Stable | 1931 | IS=37.40±0.5% |
| 185Rem | 184.952958320 ± 0.000000879 | 200 ns ± 4 | 1997 | IT=100% |
| 186Re | 185.954989172 ± 0.00000088 | 3.7185 d ± 0.0005 | 1939 | β-=92.53±1%; ε=7.47±1% |
| 186Rem | 185.954989172 ± 0.00000088 | ~200 ky | 1972 | IT≈100%; β- ? |
| 187Re | 186.955752217 ± 0.000000791 | 41.6 Gy ± 0.02 | 1931 | IS=62.60±0.5%; β-=100%; α=0% |
| 187Rem | 186.955752217 ± 0.000000791 | 555.3 ns ± 1.7 | 1949 | IT=100% |
| 187Ren | 186.955752217 ± 0.000000791 | 354 ns ± 62 | 2003 | IT=100% |
| 188Re | 187.958113658 ± 0.000000792 | 17.005 h ± 0.003 | 1939 | β-=100% |
| 188Rem | 187.958113658 ± 0.000000792 | 18.59 m ± 0.04 | 1953 | IT=100% |
| 189Re | 188.959227764 ± 0.000008793 | 24.3 h ± 0.4 | 1963 | β-=100% |
| 189Rem | 188.959227764 ± 0.000008793 | 2 us [Estimated] | IT ? | |
| 189Ren | 188.959227764 ± 0.000008793 | 223 us ± 14 | 2016 | IT=100% |
| 190Re | 189.961800064 ± 0.000005227 | 3.0 m ± 0.2 | 1955 | β-=100% |
| 190Rem | 189.961800064 ± 0.000005227 | 3.1 h ± 0.2 | 1962 | β-=54.4±2%; IT=45.6±2% |
| 191Re | 190.963123322 ± 0.000011019 | 9.8 m ± 0.5 | 1963 | β-=100% |
| 191Rem | 190.963123322 ± 0.000011019 | 20 us [Estimated] | IT ? | |
| 191Ren | 190.963123322 ± 0.000011019 | 50.6 us ± 3.5 | 2011 | IT=100% |
| 192Re | 191.966088000 ± 0.000076 | 15.4 s ± 0.5 | 1965 | β-=100% |
| 192Rem | 191.966088000 ± 0.000076 | 88 us ± 8 | 2005 | IT=100% |
| 192Ren | 191.966088000 ± 0.000076 | <500 ms | 2012 | β- ?; IT ? |
| 193Re | 192.967545000 ± 0.000042 | 3 m >300ns [Estimated] | 1999 | β- ? |
| 193Rem | 192.967545000 ± 0.000042 | 69 us ± 6 | 2005 | IT=100% |
| 194Re | 193.970735 ± 0.000215 [Estimated] | 5 s ± 1 | 1999 | β-=100% |
| 194Rem | 193.970735 ± 0.000215 [Estimated] | 45 us ± 18 | 2011 | IT=100% |
| 194Ren | 193.970735 ± 0.000215 [Estimated] | 25 s ± 8 | 2012 | β-=100% |
| 194Rep | 193.970735 ± 0.000215 [Estimated] | 100 s ± 10 | 2012 | β-=100% |
| 195Re | 194.972560 ± 0.000322 [Estimated] | 6 s ± 1 | 2008 | β-=100% |
| 196Re | 195.975996 ± 0.000322 [Estimated] | 2.4 s ± 1.5 | 2008 | β- ? |
| 196Rem | 195.975996 ± 0.000322 [Estimated] | 3.6 us ± 0.6 | 2009 | IT=100% |
| 197Re | 196.978153 ± 0.000322 [Estimated] | 400 ms >300ns [Estimated] | 2009 | β- ? |
| 198Re | 197.981760 ± 0.000429 [Estimated] | 1 s >300ns [Estimated] | 2009 | β- ?; β-n ? |
| 199Re | 198.984187 ± 0.000429 [Estimated] | 250 ms >300ns [Estimated] | 2012 | β- ? |
