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Atomic Number : 68Atomic Symbol : ErAtomic weighting : 167.259Melting Point : 2,784 F ( 1,529 C)Boiling Point : 5,194 F ) ( 2,868 C )
parole pedigree : Named for the Swedish village Ytterby ( as was ytterbium , terbiumandyttrium ) . [ SeePeriodic Table of the Elements ]
Ultrapure erbium with cut traces, 25 grams. This piece is 1 by 2 by 2 centimeters.
Discovery : In 1842 , Swedish pharmacist Carl Gustaf Mosander separated the " yttria " component see in the mineral gadolinite into three segments that he call yttria , erbia and terbia . As might be wait considering the similarities between their figure and properties , scientists soon confused erbia and terbia . Mosander ’s terbia became known as erbia after 1860 , and after 1877 , the originally know erbia was renamed terbia .
Working independently , American chemist Charles James and Gallic chemist Georges Urbain successfully isolated clean pure atomic number 68 oxide ( Er2O3 ) in 1905 . In 1934 , Wilhelm Klemm and Heinrich Bommer reduce the anhydrous chloride with potassium vapour to bring about fairly staring Er metal .
attribute of erbium
Similar to otherlanthanidesor rare earth metals , the pure alloy is flabby and malleable and has a metallic lustre that is bright and silvery . Its properties depend to a sure degree on the impurities present . Unlike some other uncommon earthly concern metals , erbium metal is reasonably stable in air and does not oxidate as chop-chop as some of the other rare - earth metals .
Naturally occurring erbium is a motley of six static isotope . In addition , nine radioactive isotopes of erbium are recognized . Most of the rare - ground oxides have sharp immersion bands in the seeable , ultraviolet , and near infrared emission . This property , associated with the electronic structure , ease up beautiful pastel colour to many of the rarified - solid ground salts .
Sources of Er
atomic number 68 occurs in a kind of mineral , including gadolinite , euxenite , xenotime , fergusonite , polycrase and blomstrandine .
use of erbium
Erbium is finding United States of America in nuclear and metallurgical covering . When tally tovanadium , atomic number 68 lowers the hardness and improves pliability of the metal . Er oxide adds a pinkish hue to glass and porcelain enamel glazes .
Recent product technique that utilize ion - exchange reactions have resulted in importantly lower prices of the rare - globe metal and their chemical compound , spread out more potential applications .
( Source : Los Alamos National Laboratory )
