No, ozone is not a metal.
Ozone (O₃), also known as trioxygen, is an inorganic molecule. It's a pale blue gas with a pungent odor. The reference material explicitly states that ozone is an inorganic molecule, a classification fundamentally different from metals. Metals are typically characterized by their high electrical and thermal conductivity, malleability, ductility, and metallic luster – properties ozone completely lacks.
While some references discuss ozone's interaction with metals (e.g., its damaging effects on certain metals like those listed in the Ozone Solutions blog post), this interaction does not change ozone's fundamental chemical nature. The fact that ozone can react with metals does not make it a metal itself. The interaction mentioned in the California Air Resources Board fact sheet highlights ozone's damaging effects on various materials, including metals, but again, this doesn't classify ozone as a metal.
Furthermore, the research on metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) using ozone in catalytic reactions (Nature article) shows ozone's role as a reactant with metals, not as a metal itself. The Purdue University article on spacecraft metals highlights potential atmospheric effects of metal particles released from spacecraft, but this has no bearing on whether ozone is a metal.
In summary, ozone's chemical composition and properties firmly place it in the category of inorganic molecules, not metals.
