iridiumn.
/ɪˈrɪdɪəm/, /ʌɪˈrɪdɪəm/, U.S. /ɪˈrɪdiəm/ A white metal of the platinum group, resembling polished steel, and fusible with great difficulty, found (usually in conjunction with osmium) in native platinum, and in the native alloy iridosmium n. Chemical symbol Ir; atomic weight 193. Also in combinations, as iridium-pointed adj.
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the world > matter > chemistry > elements and compounds > metals > specific elements > iridium > [noun]
iridium1804
society > occupation and work > materials > derived or manufactured material > metal > base metal > [noun] > metals of platinum group > specific
palladium1803
iridium1804
osmium1804
rhodium1804
1804 Tennant in Philos. Trans. (Royal Soc.) 94 414 I should incline to call this metal Iridium, from the striking variety of colours which it gives, while dissolving in marine acid.
1805 W. H. Wollaston in Philos. Trans. (Royal Soc.) 95 317 Metals that were found by Mr. Tennant..and which he has called Iridium and Osmium.
1849 D. Campbell Pract. Text-bk. Inorg. Chem. 259 Iridium is not unlike platinum..though harder, and less easily acted upon by acids.
1871 J. Tyndall Fragm. Sci. (1879) II. xvi. 442 When sent through a short bar of iridium, this refractory metal emits a light of extraordinary splendour.
Compounds
attributive and in other combinations.
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1849 D. Campbell Pract. Text-bk. Inorg. Chem. 249 To separate the iridium oxide from platinum.
1865–72 H. Watts Dict. Chem. III. 316 The mother-liquor of the iridium-salt.
1897 Sears, Roebuck Catal. No. 104. 433 Gold filled and ebony telescopic Holder, with best quality iridium pointed pens.
1908 Daily Chron. 27 Feb. 7/3 A gold-iridium-pointed nib.
1926–7 Army & Navy Stores Catal. 425 Fountain pens. Fitted with 14-ct. gold nib, iridium-pointed.
This entry has not yet been fully updated (first published 1900; most recently modified version published online March 2022).
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