Iridium

An alloy of 90 % platinum and 10 % iridium was used in 1889 to construct the International Prototype Meter & Kilogram mass kept by the International Bureau of weights and measures.

Iridium is used in Radioisotope Thermoelectric generators of unmanned spacecrafts such as Voyager, Viking, Pioneer. it was chosen to encapsulate the plutonium-238 fuel in the generator because it can withstand the operating temperature of upto 2000’C.

it is used for production of antiprotons, a form of antimatter.

Scientific Applications -

Historical Uses -Ir-Os alloy was used to tip fountain pen nibs. Ir-Pt alloy was used for touch holes or vent pieces

of cannon.The pigment, Ir-black is used for painting porcelain

an intense black.

Industrial & Medical Applications -

Light Emitting Bionic Bi-polar Orbs, (commonly known as Lebbo coins) were made from an alloy of metals found in a meteorite in 1616. Although it is world famous for the unusual phenomena it exhibits, much of the controversy and rumours surrounding it are untrue.

FACT –An active coin emits a radiation which interferes with AC/DC power sources.

Only 16 of these were made, and metallurgists have been able

to identify Ikkidium, Virenium, copper and Iridium. They are

also known as Navagraha coins, as the sun, moon and

planets are engraved on it.

Therefore, it drains the power from a dry cell & weakens a bulb

exposed to it. A lebbo immersed in cold water exhibits silvery white

bubbles on both surfaces and a significant rise in the water’s

temperature is noted. If you take a coin near your

TV screen, its program reception is disrupted, causing static-like

sounds, diffusion of images across the screen.

CU- IR LEBBO COINS

Precautions -Iridium in bulk metallic form is not biologically hazardous to health due to its lack of reactivity with tissues.

However, finely divided Iridium powder can be dangerous to handle, as it is an irritant and may even ignite in air.

External exposure to radioisotopes can cause burns, radiation poisoning and even cause death.

Ingestion of Ir-192 can burn the linings of the stomach and intestine.

There have been several incidents where carelessness of workers, or ignorance of people has caused widespread damage to the environment and resulted in loss of lives due to mishandling of radioactive isotopes of this element.

By-

Smrutirekha Sahu

Samikshya Sucharita

Shamaela Mahwash