Strontium

Description of Strontium (Sr)

Strontium is a soft, silvery‐white or silvery‐yellow alkaline earth metal. Natural strontium is a mixture of four stable isotopes – Sr‑84, Sr‑86, Sr‑87 and Sr‑88 – and is mainly found in the minerals celestite and strontianite.

Like other alkaline earth metals, strontium is chemically very reactive and reacts with both air and water. In air, it burns with a bright red flame. When it comes into contact with water, hydrogen gas and strontium hydroxide are formed, the latter being a strong irritant.

Applications of Strontium (Sr)

In the manufacture of fireworks, strontium carbonate, nitrate and perchlorate are used to colour flames carmine red. An alloy of magnesium and strontium exhibits strong pyrophoric properties and is used in fireworks for ignition and flare formulations. Strontium is added to copper and some of its alloys as well as to lead‐alloy batteries. It is used for the desulphurisation of cast iron, copper and steel, and for the reduction of uranium.

Alloys of strontium with tin and lead are used to cast conductors for accumulator batteries. Alloys of strontium and cadmium are used for the anodes of battery cells. Strontium hard ferrites are extensively used as a material for the manufacture of permanent magnets.

Strontium uranate plays an important role in the production of hydrogen by the thermochemical method (atomic hydrogen energy). Processes are being developed for the splitting of uranium in strontium uranate, whereby heat is produced during the splitting of water into hydrogen and oxygen.

Strontium oxide is used as a component of superconducting ceramics. In the solid solution of the oxides of other alkaline earth metals – barium and calcium (BaO, CaO) – it is used as an active layer in indirectly heated cathodes in electronic vacuum devices. Strontium fluoride is used as a component in fluoride solid‐state batteries with high energy capacity and energy density.

Specifications of Strontium (Sr)

Strontium Product Video