• Thorium Metal (Th)  Synonyms:

thorium metal compounds (Th), thorium, 232Th, 90Th, Th, thorium metal-pyrophoric, thorium-232, CAS# 7440-29-1, UN 2912, UN 2976, thorium oxide, radioactive,

• Thorium Metal (Th) Designations:

Chemical Name: Thorium

Chemical Formula: Th

• Thorium Metal (Th) Elemental Description:

a) About as abundant as lead, pure thorium is a silvery-white, lustrous, radioactive metal. It is soft, ductile and can be cold-rolled, swaged, extruded, and drawn. Thorium has a very high melting point, and thorium oxide has the highest melting point (3300°C) of all oxides.

b) Thorium, when alloyed with magnesium, imparts high strength and creep resistance at elevated temperatures

• Thorium Metal (Th) Chemical Properties Available:

99.8% minimum as thorium compounds

• Thorium Metal (Th) Physical Properties Available:

Pieces and powder

• Thorium Metal (Th) Applications:

a) Thorium is used as an alloying element in magnesium, used in aircraft engines, imparting high strength and creep resistance at elevated temperatures.
 
b) Thorium is also used as an alloying agent in gas tungsten arc welding (GTAW) to increase the melting temperature of tungsten electrodes and improve arc stability. The electrodes labeled EWTH-1 contain 1% thorium, while the EWTH-2 contain 2%.
 
c) Thorium is used to coat tungsten wire used in electronic equipment, improving the electron emission of heated cathodes.
Uranium-thorium age dating has been used to date hominid fossils.
 
d) Thorium is used as a fertile material for producing nuclear fuel. In particular, the proposed energy amplifier reactor design would employ thorium. Since thorium is more abundant than uranium, some nuclear reactor designs incorporate thorium in their fuel cycle.
 
e) Thorium may also be used directly as nuclear fuel instead of uranium, producing less transuranic waste.
 
f) Thorium is a very effective radiation shield, although it has not been used for this purpose as much as lead or depleted uranium.

• Thorium Metal (Th) Packaging Options:

Secure drums (radioactive)

• Thorium Metal (Th) TSCA (SARA Title III) Status:

Listed. For further information it is very important to call the E.P.A. at +1.202.554.1404

• Thorium Metal (Th) Chemical Abstract Service Number:

CAS# 7440-29-1

• Thorium Metal (Th) Precautions:

Powdered thorium metal will often ignite spontaneously in air (it is pyrophoric) and should be handled carefully. Natural thorium decays very slowly compared to many other radioactive materials, and the alpha radiation emitted cannot penetrate human skin. Owning and handling small amounts of thorium, such as a gas mantle, is considered safe if care is taken not to ingest the thorium—lungs and other internal organs can be penetrated by alpha radiation. Exposure to an aerosol of thorium can lead to increased risk of cancers of the lung, pancreas and blood. Exposure to thorium internally leads to increased risk of liver diseases. This element has no known biological role. Source: Wikipedia

• Thorium Metal (Th) UN Number:

2912 and 2976

• Thorium Metal (Th) Hazmat Status:

Radioactive & Oxidizer Materials