{"id":366,"date":"2012-05-24T13:06:20","date_gmt":"2012-05-24T13:06:20","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.chemicool.com\/elements\/?page_id=366"},"modified":"2017-12-07T02:08:24","modified_gmt":"2017-12-07T07:08:24","slug":"niobium","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.chemicool.com\/elements\/niobium.html","title":{"rendered":"Niobium Element Facts"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"insidepagelinks\">\n<a href=\"#data\">Data Zone<\/a> |  <a href=\"#discovery\">Discovery<\/a> |  <a href=\"#facts\">Facts<\/a> | <a href=\"#appear\">Appearance &amp; Characteristics<\/a> | <a href=\"#uses\">Uses<\/a> | <a href=\"#abund\">Abundance &amp; Isotopes<\/a>  | <a href=\"#refer\">References<\/a>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"tmetalsT\">\n<div class=\"atnorT\">41<\/div>\n<div class=\"clearT\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"elnamT\">Nb<\/div>\n<div class=\"atweiT\">92.91<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>The chemical element niobium is classed as a transition metal. It was discovered in 1801 by Charles Hatchett.<\/p>\n<div style=\"clear:both;\"><\/div>\n<div class=\"adsense300\">\n<div class=\"adsense300spacer\">\n<div style=\"line-height:10px;\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/\/www.chemicool.com\/ad.png\" alt=\"\" \/><\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js\"><\/script><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display: block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-9461632227417539\" data-ad-slot=\"8753977201\" data-ad-format=\"auto\"><\/ins><script>(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});<\/script><\/p>\n<p><a id=\"data\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2>Data Zone<\/h2>\n<table class=\"datatop\">\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\">Classification:<\/td>\n<td>  Niobium is a transition metal  <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\">Color:<\/td>\n<td>  silvery-white  <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\">Atomic weight:<\/td>\n<td>   92.9064 <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\">State:<\/td>\n<td>   solid   <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\">Melting point:<\/td>\n<td> 2477 <sup>o<\/sup>C, 2750 K    <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\">Boiling point:<\/td>\n<td>  4744 <sup>o<\/sup>C, 5017  K   <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\">Electrons:<\/td>\n<td>41<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\">Protons:<\/td>\n<td>41<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\">Neutrons in most abundant isotope:<\/td>\n<td>52<\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\">Electron shells:<\/td>\n<td>   2,8,18,12,1     <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\">Electron configuration:<\/td>\n<td>  [Kr]  4d<sup>4<\/sup> 5s<sup>1<\/sup>   <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\">Density @ 20<sup>o<\/sup>C:<\/td>\n<td>  8.57  g\/cm<sup>3<\/sup>  <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<span class=\"collapseomatic \" id=\"id69e34056cfe01\"  tabindex=\"0\" title=\"Show more, including: Heats, Energies, Oxidation,&lt;br \/&gt; Reactions, Compounds, Radii, Conductivities\"    >Show more, including: Heats, Energies, Oxidation,<br \/> Reactions, Compounds, Radii, Conductivities<\/span><div id=\"target-id69e34056cfe01\" class=\"collapseomatic_content \">\n<table class=\"datatop\">\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\">Atomic volume:<\/td>\n<td>   10.87 cm<sup>3<\/sup>\/mol  <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\">Structure:<\/td>\n<td>    bcc: body-centered cubic  <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\">Hardness: <\/td>\n<td>    6.0 mohs  <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\">Specific heat capacity<\/td>\n<td>  0.26 J g<sup>-1<\/sup> K<sup>-1<\/sup>  <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\">Heat of fusion<\/td>\n<td> 26.40 kJ mol<sup>-1<\/sup> <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\">Heat of atomization<\/td>\n<td> 733 kJ mol<sup>-1<\/sup> <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\">Heat of vaporization<\/td>\n<td>   682.0  kJ mol<sup>-1<\/sup>   <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\">1<sup>st<\/sup> ionization energy<\/td>\n<td> 652.1 kJ mol<sup>-1<\/sup>   <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\">2<sup>nd<\/sup> ionization energy<\/td>\n<td>   1381.7  kJ mol<sup>-1<\/sup>    <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\">3<sup>rd<\/sup> ionization energy<\/td>\n<td>   2416  kJ mol<sup>-1<\/sup> <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\">Electron affinity<\/td>\n<td>     86.2 kJ mol<sup>-1<\/sup>  <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\">Minimum oxidation number<\/td>\n<td>  -1    <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\">Min. common oxidation no.<\/td>\n<td>  0   <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\"> Maximum oxidation number <\/td>\n<td> 5 <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\"> Max. common oxidation no. <\/td>\n<td>  5  <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\"> Electronegativity (Pauling Scale) <\/td>\n<td>  1.6   <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\"> Polarizability volume <\/td>\n<td>   15.7  &Aring;<sup>3<\/sup>  <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\"> Reaction with air<\/td>\n<td>  w\/ht, &#8658;  NbO<sub>2<\/sub>   <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\"> Reaction with 15 M HNO<sub>3<\/sub> <\/td>\n<td>  none  <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\"> Reaction with 6 M HCl <\/td>\n<td>  none <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\"> Reaction with 6 M NaOH <\/td>\n<td>   none  <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\"> Oxide(s) <\/td>\n<td>  NbO, NbO<sub>2<\/sub>, Nb<sub>2<\/sub>O<sub>3<\/sub> , Nb<sub>2<\/sub>O<sub>5<\/sub> <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\"> Hydride(s) <\/td>\n<td>   NbH, NbH<sub>2<\/sub> <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\"> Chloride(s) <\/td>\n<td>   NbCl<sub>3<\/sub>, NbCl<sub>4<\/sub>, NbCl<sub>5<\/sub> <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\">Atomic radius <\/td>\n<td>   146 pm  <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\">Ionic radius (1+ ion) <\/td>\n<td> &#8211; <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\">Ionic radius (2+ ion) <\/td>\n<td>   &#8211;  <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\">Ionic radius (3+ ion) <\/td>\n<td>  86  pm <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\"> Ionic radius (1- ion) <\/td>\n<td>   &#8211;  <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\"> Ionic radius (2- ion) <\/td>\n<td> &#8211; <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\"> Ionic radius (3- ion) <\/td>\n<td>   &#8211;  <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\"> Thermal conductivity <\/td>\n<td> 53.7  W m<sup>-1<\/sup> K<sup>-1<\/sup> <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\"> Electrical conductivity <\/td>\n<td>  6.6 x 10<sup>6<\/sup> S m<sup>-1<\/sup>  <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<tr>\n<td class=\"elemglb\">Freezing\/Melting point:<\/td>\n<td> 2477 <sup>o<\/sup>C, 2750 K    <\/td>\n<\/tr>\n<\/table>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"leftimagepadding\">\n<div style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/chemicool.com\/elements\/images\/300-niobium-metal.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"162\" alt=\"Crystals of niobium metal\" class=\"size-full\" \/><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Crystals of niobium metal. Photo by Artem Topchiy.<\/p><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a id=\"discovery\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2>Discovery of Niobium<\/h2>\n<p>    Niobium was discovered in 1801 by English scientist Charles Hatchett. It was found in an American ore that had been sent to England more that a century earlier by John Winthrop the Younger, the first governor of the state of Connecticut.<\/p>\n<p>\t\tHatchett found the ore, called columbite, in the Hans Sloane collection of the British Museum.<\/p>\n<p>\t\tHe named the element columbium (symbol Cb).<\/p>\n<p>\t\tIn 1846 German chemist Henrich Rose independently discovered the element and named it niobium.<\/p>\n<p>\t\tThe metal was first isolated by Swedish scientist Christian Blomstrand in 1864. He reduced the chloride by heating it in a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.chemicool.com\/elements\/hydrogen.html\">hydrogen<\/a> atmosphere.<\/p>\n<p>\t\tThe name niobium was adopted internationally in 1950.<\/p>\n<p>\t\tThe element name comes from &#8216;Niobe&#8217; meaning daughter of Tantalus in Greek mythology. Niobium sits directly above <a href=\"tantalum.html\">tantalum<\/a> in the periodic table, and they share very similar chemical properties. Tantalum was named after Tantalus, father of Niobe.<\/p>\n<div style=\"clear:both;line-height:20px;\">&nbsp;<\/div>\n<div class=\"adsense300\">\n<div class=\"adsense300spacer\">\n<div style=\"line-height: 10px;\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/\/www.chemicool.com\/ad.png\" alt=\"\" \/><\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js\"><\/script><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display: inline-block; width: 336px; height: 280px;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-9461632227417539\" data-ad-slot=\"2986645201\"><\/ins><script>(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});<\/script><\/p>\n<div class=\"leftimagepadding\">\n<div style=\"width: 310px\" class=\"wp-caption alignnone\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" src=\"https:\/\/www.chemicool.com\/elements\/images\/300-niobium-cavities.jpg\" width=\"300\" height=\"162\" alt=\"Niobium\" class=\"size-full\" \/><p class=\"wp-caption-text\">Superconducting niobium cavities, made by the Jefferson Laboratory for use in particle accelerators. (More  in the video below.)<\/p><\/div>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" width=\"300\" height=\"168\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/tcZAqZkb_7w?rel=0\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<div class=\"youtubecaption\">Superconducting niobium cavities from Fermilab.<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p><a id=\"appear\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h3>Appearance and Characteristics<\/h3>\n<p><strong>Harmful effects:<\/strong> <\/p>\n<p>\t \tSome niobium compounds are highly toxic. <\/p>\n<p>\t  <strong>Characteristics:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>\t\t Niobium is a shiny, white, ductile metal. In air an oxide layer forms whose color depends on its thickness. Shades of blue, green and yellow are typical. <\/p>\n<p>\t\tNiobium resists corrosion due to the oxide film. The metal starts to oxidize rapidly in air at 200 <sup>o<\/sup>C.<\/p>\n<p>\t\tNiobium&#8217;s chemical properties are very similar to those of <a href=\"https:\/\/www.chemicool.com\/elements\/tantalum.html\">tantalum<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>\t\tNiobium is one of the five major refractory metals (metals with very high resistance to heat and wear). The other refractory metals are <a href=\"https:\/\/www.chemicool.com\/elements\/tungsten.html\">tungsten<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.chemicool.com\/elements\/molybdenum.html\">molybdenum<\/a>, <a href=\"https:\/\/www.chemicool.com\/elements\/tantalum.html\">tantalum<\/a> and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.chemicool.com\/elements\/rhenium.html\">rhenium<\/a>. <\/p>\n<p><a id=\"uses\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2>Uses of Niobium<\/h2>\n<p>\t\tNiobium is used with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.chemicool.com\/elements\/iron.html\">iron<\/a> and other elements in stainless steel alloys and also in alloys with a variety of nonferrous metals, such as zirconium, <\/p>\n<p>\t  Niobium alloys are strong and are often used in pipeline construction.<\/p>\n<p>\t\tThe metal is used in superalloys for jet engines and heat resistant equipment.<\/p>\n<p>\t\tNiobium is also used for jewelry. At cryogenic temperatures, niobium is a superconductor.\t<\/p>\n<p><a id=\"abund\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h2>Abundance and Isotopes<\/h2>\n<p><span class=\"elemgl\">Abundance earth&#8217;s crust:<\/span>   17 parts per million by weight,  3.7 parts per million by moles<\/p>\n<p>\t\t<span class=\"elemgl\">Abundance solar system:<\/span> 4 parts per billion by weight,   50 part per trillion by moles<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elemgl\">Cost, pure:<\/span>  $18 per 100g<\/p>\n<p>\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elemgl\">Cost, bulk:<\/span>  $per 100g<\/p>\n<p>\t\t<span class=\"elemgl\">Source:<\/span> Niobium is not found free in nature but in minerals such as columbite and tantalite. Minerals that contain niobium often also contain <a href=\"https:\/\/www.chemicool.com\/elements\/tantalum.html\">tantalum<\/a>. Commercially, niobium is extracted by first forming the oxide (Nb<sub>2<\/sub>O<sub>5<\/sub>). The oxide is then reduced using <a href=\"https:\/\/www.chemicool.com\/elements\/carbon.html\">carbon<\/a> or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.chemicool.com\/elements\/hydrogen.html\">hydrogen<\/a>.  <\/p>\n<p>\t\t<span class=\"elemgl\">Isotopes:<\/span>  Niobium has 28 isotopes whose half-lives are known, with mass numbers from 83 to 110. Naturally occurring niobium consists of its one stable isotope, <sup>93<\/sup>Nb. <\/p>\n<div style=\"max-width: 750px;\">\n<div style=\"line-height: 10px;\"><img decoding=\"async\" src=\"\/\/www.chemicool.com\/ad.png\" alt=\"\" \/><\/div>\n<p><script async src=\"\/\/pagead2.googlesyndication.com\/pagead\/js\/adsbygoogle.js\"><\/script><ins class=\"adsbygoogle\" style=\"display: block;\" data-ad-client=\"ca-pub-9461632227417539\" data-ad-slot=\"8753977201\" data-ad-format=\"auto\"><\/ins><script>(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({});<\/script><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<p><a id=\"refer\"><\/a><\/p>\n<h4>References<\/h4>\n<h4>Cite this Page<\/h4>\n<p>For online linking, please copy and paste one of the following:<\/p>\n<pre class='code'>\r\n&lt;a href=\"https:\/\/www.chemicool.com\/elements\/niobium.html\"&gt;Niobium&lt;\/a&gt;\r\n<\/pre>\n<p>or<\/p>\n<pre class='code'>\r\n&lt;a href=\"https:\/\/www.chemicool.com\/elements\/niobium.html\"&gt;Niobium Element Facts&lt;\/a&gt;\r\n<\/pre>\n<p>To cite this page in an academic document, please use the following MLA compliant citation:<\/p>\n<pre class='code'>\r\n\"Niobium.\" Chemicool Periodic Table. Chemicool.com. 17 Oct. 2012. Web. <script type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n<!--\r\nvar currentTime = new Date()\r\nvar month = currentTime.getMonth() + 1\r\nvar day = currentTime.getDate()\r\nvar year = currentTime.getFullYear()\r\ndocument.write(month + \"\/\" + day + \"\/\" + year)\r\n\/\/-->\r\n<\/script> \r\n&lt;https:\/\/www.chemicool.com\/elements\/niobium.html&gt;.<\/pre>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Data Zone | Discovery | Facts | Appearance &amp; Characteristics | Uses | Abundance &amp; Isotopes | References 41 Nb 92.91 The chemical element niobium is classed as a transition metal. It was discovered in 1801 by Charles Hatchett. Data Zone Classification: Niobium is a transition metal Color: silvery-white Atomic weight: 92.9064 State: solid Melting [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":3,"featured_media":0,"parent":0,"menu_order":0,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","template":"","meta":{"_genesis_hide_title":false,"_genesis_hide_breadcrumbs":false,"_genesis_hide_singular_image":false,"_genesis_hide_footer_widgets":false,"_genesis_custom_body_class":"","_genesis_custom_post_class":"","_genesis_layout":"","footnotes":""},"class_list":{"0":"post-366","1":"page","2":"type-page","3":"status-publish","5":"entry"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.chemicool.com\/elements\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/366","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.chemicool.com\/elements\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.chemicool.com\/elements\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/page"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.chemicool.com\/elements\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/3"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.chemicool.com\/elements\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=366"}],"version-history":[{"count":26,"href":"https:\/\/www.chemicool.com\/elements\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/366\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":4274,"href":"https:\/\/www.chemicool.com\/elements\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/pages\/366\/revisions\/4274"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.chemicool.com\/elements\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=366"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}