Osmium

Osmium: uses

The following uses for osmium are gathered from a number of sources as well as from anecdotal comments. I'd be delighted to receive corrections as well as additional referenced uses (please use the feedback mechanism to add uses).

• almost entirely used to produce very hard alloys with other metals of the platinum group, for fountain pen tips, instrument pivots, and electrical contacts
• OsO₄ is used to detect fingerprints and to stain fatty tissue for microscope slides
• platinum/osmium 90/10 alloy is used in implants such as pacemakers and replacement valves

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