Rhenium

Rhenium — Material Page

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Rhenium (Re, atomic number 75) is a silvery-white, extraordinarily dense Group 7 transition metal with the third-highest melting point of any element (3,186 °C, surpassed only by tungsten at 3,422 °C and carbon at ~3,550 °C), the second-highest density of any element at ambient conditions (21.02 g/cm³, after osmium at 22.59 g/cm³), and the widest range of stable oxidation states of any element (+1 through +7, all accessible in stable compounds). Rhenium crystallizes in a hexagonal close-packed (HCP) structure — unusual among the very heaviest transition metals, which more commonly adopt BCC (W, Mo, Ta) — and exhibits exceptional mechanical properties that combine with its extreme melting point: Young's modulus of 460 GPa (one of the highest of any metal), combined with remarkable ductility (30–50% elongation at break in annealed form) that allows Re to be drawn into wire and rolled into foil, a tractability unavailable in the other Group 6–7 ultrahigh-melting metals. Rhenium was the last naturally occurring stable element to be discovered (by Ida Noddack, Walter Noddack, and Otto Berg in 1925, predicted by the then-blank spot at atomic number 75 in Mendeleev's periodic table), and it remains the rarest stable metal in Earth's crust (~0.7 ppb crustal abundance, 60,000× rarer than gold). Global primary rhenium production is only ~50–60 tonnes/year, recovered almost entirely as a byproduct of molybdenite roasting in copper-porphyry smelters (Re concentrates in MoS₂ as ReMoS₂ substitution); Chile is the dominant producer (~50% of world supply). Rhenium commands the highest price of any non-radioactive, non-precious metal — typically $1,000–3,000/kg depending on market conditions.

Rhenium's dominant and economically most significant application — consuming approximately 80% of global production — is as an alloying addition to single-crystal nickel superalloys for the highest-temperature turbine blades in modern jet engines and gas turbines, where Re additions of 3–6 wt% provide extraordinary improvements in high-temperature creep resistance that no other alloying element can match. The second-generation single-crystal superalloys (CMSX-4: Ni-9Co-6.5Cr-6.5Ta-6Re-5.6W-1Mo-5.6Al-1Ti; René N6; PWA 1484) containing ~3 wt% Re, and the third-generation alloys (CMSX-10, TMS-238) containing 5–6 wt% Re, enable turbine inlet temperatures of 1,550–1,600 °C with thermal barrier coatings — approaching within ~300 °C of the alloy solidus — yielding fuel efficiency improvements of 5–15% relative to earlier generations. The Re "rhenium effect" on creep resistance is mechanistic: Re partitions strongly to the γ matrix phase (FCC Ni solid solution), where its large atomic radius and high electron density create deep potential wells that dramatically slow dislocation climb and glide at high homologous temperatures; Re also reduces γ/γ′ lattice misfit, improving rafting resistance. Approximately 6 kg of rhenium is used per GE90 or Trent 900 aircraft engine; a modern widebody fleet carries hundreds of kilograms of rhenium in its engines — making aircraft engines the world's dominant rhenium reservoir and secondary Re recovery from scraped turbine blades a critical supply chain element.

Beyond superalloy alloying, rhenium's unique combination of chemical stability, high melting point, and catalytic selectivity makes it indispensable in petroleum reforming catalysis and gives it specialized roles in thermocouples, rocket propulsion, electron emission devices, and as an emerging radiopharmaceutical in cancer therapy. Platinum-rhenium (Pt-Re) bimetallic reforming catalysts on alumina supports — introduced by Chevron in 1968 as the UOP Platforming process upgrade — dramatically improved the stability and selectivity of catalytic reforming of naphtha to produce high-octane aromatic blending components and hydrogen; Pt-Re catalysts resist deactivation by coking and sintering far better than Pt-only catalysts, enabling continuous reforming operation and the production of ~97-octane reformate for gasoline blending and petrochemical aromatics (benzene, toluene, xylenes) at ~30 refineries worldwide. Rhenium-tungsten thermocouples (W3%Re/W25%Re, ASTM type C; W5%Re/W26%Re, type D) are the only thermocouples capable of measuring temperatures above ~2,000 °C (to ~2,760 °C) in inert or reducing atmospheres — used in aerospace re-entry heat shield characterization, nuclear fuel cladding measurement, and plasma-facing component diagnostics in fusion reactors. The radioisotope ¹⁸⁶Re (t½ = 90.6 hr, β⁻ + 137 keV gamma) and ¹⁸⁸Re (t½ = 17.0 hr, β⁻ + 155 keV gamma, generator-produced from ¹⁸⁸W) are emerging therapeutic radioisotopes — ¹⁸⁶Re-HEDP (hydroxyethylidene diphosphonate) has demonstrated efficacy for palliation of painful bone metastases, exploiting the chemical similarity of Re to Tc-99m (same Group 7) to leverage existing Tc-based targeting ligand chemistry.

General Properties

Property	Value	Notes
Atomic Number	75	Group 7, Period 6; transition metal; 4f¹⁴5d⁵6s² electron configuration — half-filled 5d shell (analogous to Mn in Period 4, Tc in Period 5) gives Re the widest oxidation state range (+1 to +7) of any element; sits directly below technetium (43) and above bohrium (107) in Group 7; the last naturally occurring stable element discovered (1925); no stable isotopes — both naturally occurring isotopes are technically radioactive, though ¹⁸⁵Re is stable within experimental limits and ¹⁸⁷Re has a half-life of 4.12 × 10¹⁰ yr
Atomic Mass	186.207 u	Two naturally occurring isotopes: ¹⁸⁵Re (37.40%) and ¹⁸⁷Re (62.60%, β⁻ radioactive, t½ = 4.12 × 10¹⁰ yr); ¹⁸⁷Re β⁻ decay to ¹⁸⁷Os is the basis of Re-Os geochronology — one of the most important geochronological systems for dating sulfide ore deposits (molybdenite MoS₂ re-equilibrates with surrounding melt, locking in Re/Os at crystallization), organic-rich black shales, and iron meteorites; δ¹⁸⁷Os/¹⁸⁸Os in marine sediments records global volcanic and erosional inputs to ocean Os budget over geological time
Density (20 °C)	21.02 g/cm³	Second-densest element at ambient conditions after osmium (22.59 g/cm³); approximately 2.5× denser than iron (7.87 g/cm³); 1.09× denser than platinum (21.45 g/cm³); the very high density of Re (and the other 5d metals: Os, Ir, Pt, Au, W) reflects the relativistic contraction of the 6s orbital and the incomplete filling of the 5d band; dense enough that Re components are often measurably heavier than expected for their size, requiring density corrections in precision analytical balance work
Melting Point	3,186 °C (3,459 K)	Third-highest melting point of any element, after tungsten (3,422 °C) and carbon (~3,550 °C graphite sublimation); approximately 1,640 °C above iron (1,538 °C) and 1,731 °C above nickel (1,455 °C); Re retains significant mechanical strength to >3,000 °C in inert atmosphere — used in heating elements for ultra-high-temperature laboratory furnaces and in rocket nozzle throat liners where temperature resistance beyond W capability is required with added ductility
Boiling Point	5,596 °C (5,869 K)	The highest boiling point of any element (even exceeding tungsten's 5,555 °C — note: the exact ordering of W and Re boiling points has been debated in the literature; most recent assessments place Re slightly higher); the extreme boiling point ensures negligible Re vapor pressure even at turbine operating temperatures and during high-vacuum furnace sintering operations; Re vapor pressure at 2,000 °C is ~10⁻⁷ Pa
Thermal Conductivity	48 W/m·K (25 °C)	Moderate thermal conductivity for a refractory metal — similar to niobium (54 W/m·K) but lower than tungsten (173 W/m·K) and molybdenum (138 W/m·K); the HCP crystal structure of Re contributes to thermal conductivity anisotropy (c-axis vs. a-axis); relevant to heat dissipation in thermocouple wires (Re conducts heat away from the junction, affecting cold-junction compensation calibration at high temperatures)
Electrical Resistivity	196 nΩ·m (20 °C)	Moderate resistivity — higher than Mo (53 nΩ·m) and W (53 nΩ·m) but lower than many other refractory metals; the resistivity increases with temperature in a well-characterized manner, contributing to Re's use in resistance thermometry at very high temperatures; the W-Re thermocouple wire resistivity is carefully controlled as it affects thermocouple response time and heat dissipation in junction regions
Crystal Structure	HCP; a = 2.761 Å, c = 4.456 Å, c/a = 1.615	HCP structure at all temperatures to melting — unique among the heaviest refractory metals (W, Mo, Ta, Nb are all BCC); the HCP structure gives Re a different deformation mechanism than BCC refractory metals: basal slip (0001)<11–20> and prismatic slip are both active, contributing to Re's remarkable ductility; the c/a ratio (1.615) is close to the ideal 1.633, indicating near-spherical atomic packing; Re does not undergo allotropic transformations

Mechanical Properties

Property	Value	Notes
Tensile Strength	400–700 MPa (annealed to cold-worked)	Annealed Re rod typically ~450 MPa UTS; cold-drawn wire can reach 700–1,400 MPa depending on reduction; Re maintains exceptional high-temperature strength: ~300 MPa at 1,000 °C, ~150 MPa at 1,500 °C, ~50 MPa at 2,500 °C — far exceeding all other metals at these temperatures except tungsten; W-Re alloys (3–26% Re) improve on pure W by further raising the recrystallization temperature and maintaining ductility after recrystallization (the "rhenium effect" on W)
Yield Strength	200–500 MPa (annealed to cold-worked)	Wide range depending on prior deformation history; the work-hardening rate of Re is high — cold reduction from annealed to heavily drawn wire roughly doubles the yield strength; the low yield-to-tensile ratio in annealed Re (~0.5) indicates substantial plastic deformation capacity before fracture, supporting the use of Re for complex hydroformed shapes and drawn tubes
Young's Modulus	460 GPa	Among the highest elastic moduli of any metal — higher than tungsten (411 GPa) and molybdenum (329 GPa); the extraordinary stiffness of Re reflects the strong 5d metallic bonding; the high modulus combined with good ductility (unusual combination) is a key driver for Re's use in precision instruments, electron microscope filaments, and thermocouple wire where dimensional stability under thermal cycling is critical; note: some sources list 360–460 GPa depending on crystallographic orientation (HCP anisotropy)
Hardness	Mohs ~7; ~2,450 MPa Vickers (annealed)	Hard — comparable to quartz on the Mohs scale; Re requires diamond or CBN grinding wheels for machining; Re powder compacts sintered by HIP or spark plasma sintering can achieve hardness of 3,000–3,500 HV with near-theoretical density; the hardness of Re makes it resistant to erosion in rocket nozzle throat applications (rhenium nozzle throats for hydrazine thrusters are the single largest non-superalloy application)
Elongation at Break	30–50% (annealed)	Remarkably high elongation for a metal of this hardness and stiffness — a unique combination that separates Re from other comparably hard refractory materials (ceramics, carbides); the ductility arises from the HCP structure's multiple slip systems and the large unit cell; the ductility enables Re wire drawing to <25 µm diameter for thermocouple wire, electron emission filaments, and specialized current leads, and allows Re sheet forming by rolling without the intermediate annealing steps required for Mo and W sheet
Poisson's Ratio	0.30	Consistent with most HCP metals; used in finite element analysis of Re components, thermocouple wire stress calculations, and in the design of Re-coated combustion chamber liners where Re film stress under thermal cycling determines spallation resistance

Chemical Properties

Property	Value / Behavior	Notes
Oxidation States	+1 through +7; most stable: +7 (ReO₄⁻), +4 (ReO₂), +6 (ReO₃)	Rhenium has the most oxidation states accessible in stable compounds of any element — from Re⁻¹ in some carbonyl anions to Re⁺⁷ in perrhenate (ReO₄⁻, the common soluble form); ReO₄⁻ (perrhenate) is the dominant aqueous form at high oxidation potential, structurally analogous to TcO₄⁻ and MnO₄⁻; Re₂O₇ (rhenium heptoxide, mp 327 °C) is volatile and water-soluble — the basis of Re catalyst preparation by incipient wetness impregnation from ammonium perrhenate (NH₄ReO₄) solution; ReCl₅, ReBr₃, Re₂(CO)₁₀ (dirhenium decacarbonyl) are standard organometallic and coordination chemistry starting materials
Corrosion Resistance	Excellent in most mineral acids; resistant to HCl, H₂SO₄, HF; slowly attacked by HNO₃ and H₂O₂	Re passivates in most non-oxidizing acids — resistant to HCl (all concentrations, room temperature), dilute H₂SO₄, HF, and aqua regia at room temperature; slowly dissolved by hot concentrated H₂SO₄, hot HNO₃, and H₂O₂ (forming ReO₄⁻); resistant to molten alkalis to ~700 °C and to liquid bismuth and tin; Re crucibles and sample holders used for reactive metal melting (titanium, zirconium, actinides) in electron beam furnaces exploit this acid and reactive-metal resistance
High-Temperature Oxidation	Forms volatile Re₂O₇ above ~300 °C in air; excellent in inert/reducing atmospheres to mp	Like molybdenum, rhenium's critical limitation in oxidizing atmospheres is the volatility of Re₂O₇ (bp ~360 °C) — above ~300 °C in air, Re undergoes rapid mass loss due to Re₂O₇ volatilization, precluding use in air above this temperature without protective coatings; iridium or platinum coatings on Re nozzles (Re/Ir composites for rocket thrusters) provide oxidation protection while retaining Re's high-temperature mechanical properties; in inert atmosphere, vacuum, or hydrogen, Re is stable to its melting point

Identifier	Value
Symbol	Re
Atomic Number	75
CAS Number	7440-15-5
UN Number	UN3089 (metal powder)
EINECS Number	231-124-5

Isotope	Type	Notes
¹⁸⁵Re	Stable	37.40% natural abundance; I = 5/2, NMR-active (large quadrupole moment; ¹⁸⁵Re NMR, used alongside ¹⁸⁷Re NMR, characterizes Re coordination environments in oxo-clusters, carbonyls, perrhenate coordination, and catalytic Re species on alumina supports); thermal neutron activation ¹⁸⁵Re(n,γ)¹⁸⁶Re (σ ≈ 112 barn) produces therapeutic ¹⁸⁶Re (t½ = 90.6 hr, β⁻ + 137 keV gamma) — the high cross-section makes reactor-produced ¹⁸⁶Re accessible from natural Re targets; enriched ¹⁸⁵Re metal targets are used for high-specific-activity ¹⁸⁶Re production; δ¹⁸⁵Re/¹⁸⁷Re ratio measurements by TIMS are the denominator in Re-Os isotope systematics
¹⁸⁷Re	Radioactive*	62.60% natural abundance; t½ = 4.12 × 10¹⁰ yr (β⁻, Emax = 2.64 keV — an extraordinarily soft beta emitter, the lowest-energy natural beta decay known); decays to ¹⁸⁷Os (stable); despite its very long half-life, ¹⁸⁷Re specific activity (~1,040 Bq/g) is easily measurable by negative thermal ionization mass spectrometry (N-TIMS); the ¹⁸⁷Re/¹⁸⁷Os isotope system is the basis of Re-Os geochronology — one of the most powerful dating methods for sulfide ore deposits (molybdenite MoS₂ concentrates Re by substitution, giving very high Re/Os ratios and precise isochron ages for ore formation), organic-rich black shales (tracing ocean anoxic events), and iron meteorites and chondrites (constraining the age of the solar system and core segregation in planetesimals); Re-Os ages have been used to date the Witwatersrand gold deposits (~2.7 Ga), Carlin gold system, porphyry copper deposits, and the ~4.56 Ga formation of the solar system iron core; ¹⁸⁷Re NMR (I = 5/2, 62.7% natural abundance) is slightly more receptive than ¹⁸⁵Re NMR and is commonly used to characterize Re oxidation state and coordination; I = 5/2, large quadrupole moment gives broad but informative solid-state NMR signals
¹⁸⁶Re	Radioactive	t½ = 90.6 hr (β⁻, 1.07 MeV max; plus 137.2 keV gamma, 9.4% intensity); produced by ¹⁸⁵Re(n,γ)¹⁸⁶Re in research reactors; therapeutic radioisotope — ¹⁸⁶Re-HEDP (hydroxyethylidene diphosphonate) is approved in Europe for palliation of painful bone metastases; ¹⁸⁶Re-labelled antibodies and peptides are studied for radioimmunotherapy; the combination of β⁻ (therapeutic tissue range ~2–3 mm) plus 137 keV gamma (allows SPECT imaging to confirm biodistribution) makes ¹⁸⁶Re a "theranostic" isotope; the similarity of Re chemistry to Tc (same Group 7) allows Tc-derived targeting ligand frameworks (HYNIC, MAG3, MDP analogues) to be adapted for Re without major structural redesign
¹⁸⁸Re	Radioactive	t½ = 17.0 hr (β⁻, 2.12 MeV max; 155.0 keV gamma, 15.1% intensity); produced from a ¹⁸⁸W/¹⁸⁸Re generator (analogous to the ⁹⁹Mo/⁹⁹ᵐTc generator) — ¹⁸⁸W (t½ = 69 days) irradiated in a reactor provides a portable, hospital-based source of ¹⁸⁸Re; the high-energy β⁻ (Emax 2.12 MeV, mean range ~3–4 mm in tissue) makes ¹⁸⁸Re more cytotoxic per decay than ¹⁸⁶Re — studied for intravascular brachytherapy (balloon catheters for prevention of restenosis after angioplasty), radiosynoviorthesis (joint inflammation treatment), locoregional therapy of liver cancer (¹⁸⁸Re-lipiodol via hepatic artery), and radioimmunotherapy; the generator format enables on-demand production at clinical sites without reactor access

Scientific & Research Applications

Use Case	Form Typically Used	Description
Pt-Re Petroleum Reforming Catalysis	NH₄ReO₄ (ammonium perrhenate) on Pt/Al₂O₃ support; Re loading 0.3–0.5 wt%	Bimetallic Pt-Re/Al₂O₃ catalysts (0.3% Pt, 0.3% Re, chlorinated alumina) are the industrial standard for catalytic naphtha reforming — producing high-octane reformate for gasoline and aromatic feedstocks (benzene, toluene, xylenes) at ~300 operating units worldwide. Re stabilizes Pt nanoparticles against sintering and reduces coke deposition (Re sites oxidize surface coke precursors), extending catalyst cycle length from weeks to years in continuous catalyst regeneration (CCR) reformers. Research focuses on understanding Re's role in the Pt-Re bimetallic ensemble at atomic resolution (EXAFS, DFT studies) and on developing Re-containing catalysts for bio-refinery reactions (glycerol reforming, fatty acid hydrodeoxygenation).
Re-Os Geochronology Standards	Re metal standard solutions (NIST SRM 989, natural Re), molybdenite reference materials	Re-Os geochronology using negative thermal ionization mass spectrometry (N-TIMS) or MC-ICP-MS measures ¹⁸⁷Re/¹⁸⁸Os and ¹⁸⁷Os/¹⁸⁸Os ratios with precision of ±0.05–0.1% to date sulfide ore deposits, black shales, and meteorites. Molybdenite (MoS₂) is the preferred mineral — it concentrates Re to ppm–ppm levels (vs. ppb in most minerals) while excluding Os at crystallization, giving a very high ¹⁸⁷Re/¹⁸⁸Os ratio that places isochron age constraints of ±0.5–2% on geological events from ~100 Ma to ~4.5 Ga. NIST SRM 989 (natural Re metal standard, δ¹⁸⁷Re defined as 0‰) is the primary reference material for Re-Os isotope ratio measurements.
W-Re Thermocouples (Ultra-High Temperature)	W-3%Re / W-25%Re wire (ASTM type C) or W-5%Re / W-26%Re (type D)	Tungsten-rhenium thermocouples are the only contact temperature sensors capable of operating above ~2,000 °C in inert or reducing atmospheres, with calibrated range to 2,320 °C (type C) or 2,760 °C (ASTM type D, theoretical upper limit). The Re addition (3–26%) lowers the DBTT of W wire dramatically — enabling the wire to be drawn to the 0.076–0.5 mm diameters needed for thermocouple junction fabrication without the extensive hot-working required for pure W. W-Re thermocouples calibrate furnaces for SiC crystal growth (PVT method, ~2,200 °C), sapphire and alumina crystal growth, nuclear fuel performance testing, and plasma-facing component characterization in fusion research (JET, ITER).
Ultra-High-Temperature Furnace Components	Re crucibles, Re sheet (99.97%+), Re wire, Re-Mo and Re-W alloy components	Rhenium crucibles and boats are used for high-temperature evaporation of refractory materials (ZrO₂, HfO₂, rare earth oxides) by electron beam evaporation and for melting of reactive metals (Ir, Os, Pt group metals, actinides) where tungsten or molybdenum crucibles would be contaminated by alloy formation; Re's superior wettability and non-reactivity with most oxide and platinum-group melts makes it the preferred crucible material for crystal growth from high-temperature solutions and for arc-melting reactive alloys in button furnaces; Re heating elements extend furnace operating capability above the ~1,800 °C limit of Mo elements.
Electron Emission & Field Emission Research	Re wire (0.1–0.5 mm, 99.99%), Re single-crystal tips for field ion microscopy	Rhenium wire is used as electron emitter filaments in mass spectrometer ion sources, electron microprobes, scanning electron microscopes, and electron beam evaporation sources — Re's combination of high melting point, low work function (~4.7 eV), and resistance to carbon deposition (unlike W filaments that carburize in organic vapor environments) gives longer service life in high-carbon-content vacuum environments. Re single-crystal tips (field-evaporated to atomic sharpness) are used in field ion microscopy (FIM) for atom-resolved imaging of surface structures and for atom-probe tomography (APT) calibration of evaporation field behavior in HCP metals.
¹⁸⁶Re/¹⁸⁸Re Radiopharmaceutical Research	NaReO₄ or NaReO₄ in saline; ¹⁸⁸W/¹⁸⁸Re generator systems	Re radiopharmaceuticals exploit the chemical interchangeability of Re and Tc (isoelectronic, same group, similar ligand chemistry) to adapt well-validated Tc-99m targeting agents for therapeutic use. Research areas include: ¹⁸⁶Re-HEDP for bone pain palliation (phase III clinical trials); ¹⁸⁸Re-lipiodol hepatic artery infusion for hepatocellular carcinoma; ¹⁸⁸Re-labelled antibodies and peptides for targeted radiotherapy; ¹⁸⁶Re-labelled nanoparticles for combined photothermal-radiotherapy; and ¹⁸⁸Re for intravascular brachytherapy and radiosynoviorthesis. The ¹⁸⁸W/¹⁸⁸Re generator format provides clinical sites with a convenient, reactor-independent source of the therapeutic isotope.

Industrial & Commercial Applications

Sector	Form / Grade Used	Description
Single-Crystal Nickel Superalloy Turbine Blades	Re metal (99.97–99.99%) as alloy addition; 3 wt% Re in 2nd-gen, 5–6 wt% in 3rd-gen alloys	Rhenium additions of 3–6 wt% to single-crystal Ni superalloys (CMSX-4, René N6, TMS-238) provide the single largest improvement in high-temperature creep life of any alloying element addition — ~4× creep life improvement per 3% Re at 1,050 °C/250 MPa in CMSX-4 vs. CMSX-2 (zero Re). This enables turbine blade operation at temperatures ~100–150 °C higher per generation, with ~2–4% fuel burn improvement per generation of engine. ~80% of global Re production (~40 tonnes/year) is consumed in superalloy production; major consumers are GE Aviation, Pratt & Whitney, Rolls-Royce, and Safran (CFM56, GE90, PW4000, Trent 900 families). Secondary Re recovery from scraped and worn turbine blades now supplies ~40–50% of total Re demand.
Rocket Nozzle Throats & Combustion Chambers	Re/Ir bilayer components (Re shell + Ir coating); Re-Mo alloy nozzles; Re sintered compacts	Rhenium is the preferred material for hydrazine (N₂H₄) and mixed oxides of nitrogen (MON) rocket thruster nozzle throats in spacecraft attitude control systems — used by Aerojet Rocketdyne (MR-80 series), Moog, and Northrop Grumman in satellites and deep-space probes (Mars Science Laboratory, Parker Solar Probe, Deep Space One). Re nozzle throats coated with iridium (Re/Ir, ~0.01 mm Ir CVD coating on Re substrate) combine Re's high-temperature strength (σ >200 MPa at 1,900 °C) with Ir's oxidation resistance to handle oxidizing bipropellant combustion products at temperatures of 1,700–2,200 °C. Each bi-propellant thruster uses ~5–25 g of Re; a constellation satellite mission may carry 100–200 Re nozzle assemblies.
Petroleum Reforming Catalysts	NH₄ReO₄ catalyst impregnation solution; Re loading ~0.3 wt% on Pt/Al₂O₃	Pt-Re/Al₂O₃ continuous catalytic reforming (CCR) units at ~300 refineries worldwide convert C₆–C₁₀ naphtha fractions to high-octane reformate (RON ~100–105) and hydrogen (a valuable by-product for hydrotreating) at 500–530 °C, 3–35 bar. The Re addition reduces platinum cluster sintering and suppresses coke formation by ~30–50% vs. Pt-only catalysts, extending catalyst regeneration intervals from days to months in semi-regenerative reformers and enabling continuous operation in CCR reformers where catalyst is continuously withdrawn, regenerated, and returned to the reactor. ~15% of global Re production (~8–10 tonnes/year) is consumed in catalyst applications; catalyst Re is largely unrecoverable (dispersed on alumina support at ppm levels), making this the primary source of Re demand growth uncertainty.
High-Temperature Electrical Contacts & Filaments	Re wire (0.1–0.5 mm, 99.97%), Re-W alloy wire, Re-Mo sheet contacts	Rhenium wire is used as flash bulb igniter wire (the fine-wire bridge element that ignites the zirconium/barium oxide pyrotechnic charge in single-use photographic flashbulbs — a legacy but technically important application), as mass spectrometer filaments (TIMS instruments for geochemistry and nuclear safeguards use Re ribbon filaments, 0.6 × 0.025 mm, as ion-emitting surfaces for Pb, Sr, Nd, Sm, U, Th isotope ratio measurements), and as high-temperature electrical contacts in vacuum interrupters and high-frequency relays where Re's erosion resistance and high melting point give superior contact life vs. Mo and W contacts.

Purity

Main Use

99.97% (3N7)

High-purity rhenium for demanding research and industrial components — the standard grade for W-Re thermocouple wire fabrication (ASTM type C/D), Re crucibles and heating elements for ultra-high-temperature furnaces, high-temperature electrical contacts and relay components, and rocket nozzle Re shell fabrication where sub-300 ppm metallic impurities are acceptable and the focus is on consistent high-temperature mechanical properties

99.99% (4N)

Ultra-high-purity rhenium for aerospace superalloy additions (3rd-generation single-crystal turbine alloys requiring minimal impurity contributions to creep-limiting grain boundary phases), vacuum electronics (mass spectrometer filaments, TIMS ion emitters, electron beam sources requiring consistent work function), thin-film sputtering targets for Re and Re-alloy films (diffusion barriers, wear-resistant coatings), and catalysis research where trace metal impurities would obscure Pt-Re bimetallic catalytic activity measurements

Synonym / Alternative Name	Context
Re	Chemical symbol; from Latin Rhenus (the Rhine river) — rhenium was named by its discoverers Ida and Walter Noddack and Otto Berg (1925) after the Rhine river in the German-Dutch border region, acknowledging its discovery in Germany; rhenium was the last naturally occurring stable element to be discovered, filling the gap predicted at atomic number 75 in Mendeleev's periodic table (element 43, technetium, was discovered later and is radioactive with no stable isotopes)
Rhenium metal	Standard commercial and regulatory designation for the elemental form; used in supply chain documentation for Re powder, sintered Re plate/rod, Re sputtering targets, and Re foil; distinguished from rhenium compounds (NH₄ReO₄ ammonium perrhenate, Re₂O₇, ReCl₃, ReCl₅) and rhenium alloys (W-Re, Mo-Re, Ni superalloys containing Re) in trade and customs classification; the primary commercial form is Re powder produced by reduction of NH₄ReO₄ with hydrogen
Elemental rhenium	Scientific term distinguishing pure Re metal from rhenium compounds and alloys in materials science, catalysis, geochronology, and nuclear medicine literature; particularly important in Re-Os isotope geochemistry where "elemental Re" refers to the metallic standard (NIST SRM 989) vs. perrhenate or organically bound Re in geological samples

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