75
Re
Rhenium
186

Rhenium (Re)

Transition MetalGroup 7Period 6d-block-block

Rhenium is a chemical element with symbol Re and atomic number 75. It is a silvery-white, heavy, third-row transition metal in group 7 of the periodic table. With an estimated average concentration of 1 part per billion (ppb), rhenium is one of the rarest elements in the Earth's crust.

Latin name: Rhenium

Atomic Number
75
Atomic Mass
186 g/mol
Phase (STP)
Solid
Electron Config.
[Xe] 4f¹⁴ 5d⁵ 6s²

General

SymbolRe
Atomic Number75
Atomic Mass186 g/mol
CategoryTransition Metal
Group7
Period6
Blockd-block
Electron Configuration[Xe] 4f¹⁴ 5d⁵ 6s²
Valence Electrons7
Coloursilvery-white metallic
Appearancesilvery-grayish
CAS NumberCAS7440-15-5

Physical Properties

Phase (STP)Solid
Density21.02 g/cm³
Melting Point3185.85°C · 5766.53°F · 3459.00 K
Boiling Point5595.85°C · 10104.53°F · 5869.00 K

Atomic Properties

Atomic Radius217 pm
Electronegativity1.9 Pauling
Ionization Energy760 kJ/mol
Oxidation States+7, +6, +4
Ion ChargeRe4+/Re6+/Re7+

Thermodynamic

Molar Heat25.48 J/(mol·K)

Crystal Structure

Crystal Structurehexagonal close-packed

Mechanical Properties

Mohs Hardness7

Nuclear & Hazards

Half-lifestable (naturally occurring isotope Re-185 is stable)

Abundance

In Universe0.000002%
In Sun0.0000015%
In Earth's Crust0.000004%

Discovery & History

Discovery Year1925
Discovered ByWalter Noddack, Ida Noddack, Otto Berg
Country of DiscoveryGermany
Named ByWalter Noddack

Isotopes of Rhenium

IsotopeAbundanceHalf-lifeDecay
Re-18537.4%Stable
Re-18762.6%4.12 × 10¹⁰ yearsβ⁻

External References

← 74 Tungsten76 Osmium →