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Last Update
1st July 2007
 


Niobium single crystal 41Nb92.906

Discovered in 1801 by C. Hatchett at London, England.

  [Greek: lithos = stone]
  French: lithium
  German: lithium
  Italian: litio
  Spanish: litio

Description: Niobium is a shiny, silvery metal, which is soft when pure. It resists corrosion due to an oxide film on the surface. Niobium is attacked by hot, concentrated acids, but resists attack by alkalis, even when they are molten. Niobium is used in stainless steels.


Metal single crystal properties
State: single crystal  
Crystal structure: bcc  
Production method: Floating Zone  
Standard size: diameter 8-12mm
thickness 1-2mm
 
Orientation: (100), (110) and (111)  
Orientation accuracy: <2°, <1°, <0.5° or <0.1°  
Polishing: as cut, one or two sides polished  
Roughness of surface: <0.03µm  
Purity: 99.99%  
Typical analysis (ppm): C 25
H < 1
O 15
N < 5
Ag < 0.9
Al 3.6
As 0.29
Cl 0.66
Co 0.55
Cr 1.8
Fe 3.4
K 0.18
Li 0.22
Mg 0.45
Na 0.69
Ni 1
S 1.4
Si 17
Ta 180
Zn 0.48
Nb balance


Further Materials properties
Crystal structure: (cell dimensions/pm), space group
b.c.c. (a=329.86), Im3m
X-ray diffractions mass absorption coefficients: CuKa 153 (µ/r) / cm2g-1
MoKa 17.1 (µ/r) / cm2g-1
Neutron scattering length: 0.7054 b/10-12 cm
Thermal neutron capture cross-section: 1.15 sa / barns
Density: 8.4 g/cm3  
Melting point: 2467.85 °C / 2741 °K
Boiling point: 4741.85 °C / 5015 °K
Molar volume: 10.84 cm3
Thermal conductivity: 53.7 [300 K] Wm-1K-1
Coefficient of linear thermal expansion: 7.07 x 10-6 K-1
Electrical resistivity: 12.5x10-8 [273 K] Wm
Mass magnetic susceptibility: +2.76 x 10-8(s) kg-1m3
Young's modulus: 104.9 GPa
Rigidity modulus: 37.5 GPa
Bulk modulus: 170.3 GPa
Poisson's ratio: 0.397 GPa
Radii: Nb5+ 69; Nb4+ 74; atomic 143; covalent 134
Electronegativity: 1.6 (Pauling); 1.23 (Allred); 4.0 eV (absolute)
Effective nuclear charge: 3.30 (Slater); 6.70 (Clementi); 9.60 (Froese-Fischer)
Number of Isotopes (incl. nuclear isomers): 31
Issotope mass range: 86 -> 103


Biological data
Biological role: none
Toxicity  
Toxic intake: n.a.
Lethal intake: LD50 (chloride, oral, rat)= 1500 mg kg-1
Hazards: Niobium and its compounds may be toxic but there are no reports of humans beeing poisoned. Niobium dust causes eye and skin irritation.
Level in humans  
Blood: 0.005 mg dm-3
Bone: <0.07 p.p.m.
Liver: 0.14 p.p.m.
Muscle: 0.14 p.p.m.
Daily dietary intake : 0.02 - 0.6 mg
Total mass of element in average
[70 kg] person:
< 1.5 mg


Geological data
Minerals:  
 Mineral  Formula  Density  Hardness  Crystal apperance
 Betafite  (Ca, U)2(Ti, Nb, Ta)2O6(OH)  4.5  4 - 5.5  cub., waxy/vit. black/greenish
 Columbite  (Fe, Mn)(Nb, Ta)2O6  varies  c. 6  orth., opaque sub.met. lustre
 Fergusonite  YNbO4)  5.7  5.5 - 6.5  tet., vitreous, sub-met. black
 Samarskite  (Y, Ce, U, Fe)3(Nb, Ta, Ti)5O16  5.69  5 - 6  orth., vitreous/resinous black
Chief ore: columbite, samarskite, betafite; obtained as a by-product of tin-extraction.
World production: 15 000 tonnes/year
Main mining areas: Australia, Zaire, Brazil, Russia, Norway, Canada, Madagascar
Reserves: n.a.
Specimen: available as foil, powder, rod, turnings or wire. Safe.
Abundances  
Sun: 79 (relative to H = 1 x 1012)
Earth's crust: 20 p.p.m.
Seawater: 9 x 10-7 p.p.m.
Residence time:: n.a.
Oxidation state: V

Other sizes and specifications on request


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