Tantalum (Ta)

Tantalum is a rare, hard, blue-gray, lustrous transition metal that is highly corrosion-resistant.

Core Principles & Analysis

• Anders Gustaf Ekeberg discovered tantalum in 1802 in Sweden, naming it after Tantalus because its oxide would not absorb acid.
• The metal melts at 3,017 degrees Celsius, resists nearly all acids including aqua regia at moderate temperature, and is biocompatible.
• Compact tantalum capacitors are ubiquitous in smartphones and laptops, and the metal is used in surgical implants.

Specifications & Metrics

• NUM: 73
• SYMBOL: Ta
• CATEGORY: Transition Metal