Technetium is an artificial radioactive metal that was the first element synthesized. It was discovered in 1937 by Emilio Segre and Carlo Perrier in Italy. Technetium has properties such as a melting point of 2,200°C, boiling point of 4,877°C, and silver color. It is not commonly found on Earth but is found in some red giant stars. Technetium is mostly created in nuclear reactors and is used as a tracer in medicine and to inhibit corrosion in steel.

1. Technetium – Tc
The lone element on the Periodic
Table.
[98]
43

2. History
• The Element Technetium is defined as...
“A radioactive metal, the first synthetically
produced element, used as a tracer and to
inhibit corrosion in steel.”1
• The name is derived from the Greek
‘tekhnetos’, meaning artificial.1
• It was discovered by Emilio Segre and Carlo
Perrier in 1937 in Italy.1

3. Properties
• Technetium’s Melting point is a very toast
2,200°C (2,473.15K, or 3,992°F)1
• Its Boiling Point is 4,877°C (5150.15K, or
8811°F)1
• Its normally a solid at room temperature (No
Way!!!!!)1
• Its color is silver.2

4. Properties Cont’d…..
• The density, at 20°C, is 11.5 g/cm3
1
• In order to use it with steel, you must melt the
technetium and meld it with steel to make
rust-proof steel that’s radioactive.1
• Major Isotopes of Technetium are Tc-97, 98,
99, and 99m. ( “m” means metastable)3.
• Tc- 97, 98, & 99 are long living isotopes,
dangerous to health. Tc-99m is used as a
tracer in medicine.3

5. Availability
• Technetium is not commonly found on earth.
Some scientists claim that there are very little
amounts of it in the crust.
• Technetium is found in some “red giant” stars.
(scientists viewed and analyzed the emission
spectrum and found a series matching
Technetium’s)
• Most Technetium is created in a nuclear reactor.
• In 1960, it was priced at $2,800 per gram, no it is
$60 a gram to O.R.N.L permit holders.4
• O.R.N.L stands for Oak ridge National
Laboratory.

6. Uses
• Can be made into an alloy with steel to
prevent corrosion of steel, but this makes the
steel radioactive.
• Is also used as a tracer in medicine. It deposits
in the brain, liver, kidneys, spleen, and bones.

8. Resources
1. http://www.facts-about.org.uk/science-
element-technetium.htm
2. http://www.rsc.org/chemsoc/visualelements/pa
ges/technetium.html
3. http://www.ead.anl.gov/pub/doc/technetium.p
df
4. http://www.radiochemistry.org/periodictable/el
ements/43.html
5. http://www.ornl.gov/info/ornlreview/rev25-
2/net1625.html