Applications of d- and f-block elements

The essentials

Transition metals and their compounds are central to modern industry and daily life, from steel in buildings to catalysts in chemical plants and pigments in paints. The f-block elements also have specialised uses.

Key points

• Iron and steel: the most important construction materials; steels are alloyed with Cr, Mn, Ni and other metals to change their properties.
• Pigments and oxides: TiO₂ is used in the pigment industry; MnO₂ is used in dry cells.
• Batteries: Zn and Ni/Cd are used in batteries.
• Coinage metals: copper, silver and gold (group 11).
• Catalysts: V₂O₅ (contact process), TiCl₄ with Al(CH₃)₃ (Ziegler catalyst for polythene), Fe (Haber process for ammonia), Ni (hydrogenation of fats), PdCl₂ (Wacker process, used to make ethanal).
• Photography: AgBr is light sensitive and used in photographic films.
• Lanthanoids: misch metal (about 95% lanthanoid metal, about 5% iron, with traces of S, C, Ca and Al) is used in Mg-based alloys for bullets, shells and lighter flints. Mixed lanthanoid oxides are catalysts in petroleum cracking, and some oxides are phosphors in television screens.
• Actinoids: uranium and plutonium are used as nuclear fuels.

Exam tips

• Match-the-following questions often pair a catalyst with its process; learn the list above carefully.

Common mistakes

• Confusing the Haber process catalyst (iron) with the contact process catalyst (V₂O₅).
• Thinking misch metal is mainly iron.