Transition metals dominate structural alloys, high-temperature materials, catalysts, electrical systems and corrosion-resistant engineering. They occupy the d-block and commonly show multiple oxidation states, complex chemistry and useful combinations of strength, conductivity and thermal stability.
Overview
Iron, chromium, nickel and manganese form the foundation of many steels. Titanium, zirconium, niobium, molybdenum, tantalum, tungsten and rhenium serve demanding aerospace, nuclear and high-temperature applications. Platinum-group metals are especially important in catalysis and high-value process technologies.
Elements in this category
- Scandium
- Titanium
- Vanadium
- Chromium
- Manganese
- Iron
- Cobalt
- Nickel
- Copper
- Zinc
- Yttrium
- Zirconium
- Niobium
- Molybdenum
- Technetium
- Ruthenium
- Rhodium
- Palladium
- Silver
- Cadmium
- Hafnium
- Tantalum
- Tungsten
- Rhenium
- Osmium
- Iridium
- Platinum
- Gold
- Mercury
- Rutherfordium
- Dubnium
- Seaborgium
- Bohrium
- Hassium
- Meitnerium
- Darmstadtium
- Roentgenium
- Copernicium
Using periodic-table categories in engineering
Periodic-table categories are useful for organizing trends, but they are not a substitute for material specifications. Engineering performance depends on purity, microstructure, processing history, temperature, environment and the way an element is combined into alloys or compounds.
Explore further: Periodic Table · Materials Library · Material Properties
