Definition

1. Noun:
   • A rare heavy polyvalent metallic element: Rhenium is a chemical element (symbol Re, atomic number 75). It is a dense, silvery-white, heavy metal that is chemically similar to manganese. It is one of the rarest elements in the Earth's crust and is typically obtained as a by-product of molybdenum and copper ore refining.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • Rhenium is valued for its exceptionally high melting point.
  • The turbine blades contain an alloy of nickel and rhenium.
  • Scientists are studying catalysts containing rhenium.

Advanced Usage

• Technical/Industrial Context: The primary use of rhenium is in high-temperature superalloys for jet engine components and in platinum-rhenium catalysts used in petroleum refining.
  • The addition of rhenium to the alloy significantly improved its creep resistance.

Variants and Related Words

• Rhenic (adj): Pertaining to or containing rhenium, especially in chemistry with a high valence state.
  • Rhenic acid is a compound derived from rhenium.

Synonyms

• Element 75: Referring to its atomic number.
• Re: Its chemical symbol.

Notes on Meaning

• The word rhenium refers exclusively to the chemical element. It does not have different everyday meanings. Its significance is almost entirely within the fields of metallurgy, chemistry, and aerospace engineering due to its scarcity and specialized properties.

Noun

1. a rare heavy polyvalent metallic element that resembles manganese chemically and is used in some alloys; is obtained as a by-product in refining molybdenum