Hafnium (Hf) is a lustrous silver grey, a ductile, transition metal. Hafnium is found in most Zirconium minerals. It is not easy to separate these two elements due to their chemical resemblance. The Hafnium metal is further purified to crystal bars using the van Arkel/de Boer iodine process.  The crystal bars are then consolidated, electron beam (EB) is melted and processed into wires, bars, plates, and other metal forms. Hafnium is traditionally used in high-temperature superalloys and nuclear control rods. In high-temperature alloys and polycrystalline nickel-based superalloys, hafnium high melting point - 2,233°C (4,051°F) is useful. 

It helps strengthen grain boundaries, thus considerably improving both high-temperature creep and tensile strength. With its high affinity for carbon, nitrogen, and oxygen, the metal also provides strengthening through second-phase particle dispersion.

1. Used in deposition processes, including semiconductor deposition, chemical vapor deposition (CVD), and physical vapor deposition (PVD).