Niobium

Located in Group 5 and Period 5 of the Periodic Table is the element use to make Rocket Nozzle. This is Niobium.

Apollo 15 spacecraft from NASA

First discovered in 1801 by Charles Hatchett in an ore called columbite sent to England from USA. Niobium was isolated by Jean Charles Galissard de Marignac. Jean isolated metallic Niobium by heating the chloride in a hydrogen atmosphere.

Columbite was actually sent to England in around 1600 by John Winthrop, which is a member of British Royal Society ( one of the most important scientific societies in the world ). The ore had been in the museum for 70 years before somebody wants to analyse it.

Colombite

Until 1801, Charles Hatchett decides to analyse it. He discovered a new element which after he called it Columbium, named after the ore.

However, not everyone agreed Hatchett's discovery. Some chemist is convinced that Columbium is identical to Tantalum, which has already been discovered. It is easily confused due to the similarity between Tantalum's chemical properties and physical properties with Columbium's. Besides, seperating both elements is a hard job and therefore Hatchett's discovery was ignored.

Finally, in 1844, German Scientist Heinrich Rose proved that Hatchett's discovery was real by showing the differences of Tantalus and Niobium.

When the discovery was agreed, scientists began to argue about the suitable name Niobium. It is only until 1949, the name ' Niobium ' was officially adopted. However, many scientist who work with metals still assumed the name as Columbium.

Atomic Number : 41
Name : Niobium
Latin Name : Niobium
Electrons per shell : [ 2, 8, 18, 12, 1 ]
Discoverer : Charles Hatchett ( 1801 )
Isolator : Jean Charles Galissard de Marignac ( 1864 )
Element's : Atomic Mass : 92.906 u
: Density : 8.57g/cm3
: Type : Transition Metals Chemical Properties :

• Very resistant to corrosion
• Doesn't even combine with oxygen
• 58 isotopes : 3 of them are :

  

  Niobium - 93 isotopes

  Niobium - 92 : Proton : 41 : Neutrons : 51 : Electrons : 41 ( Half Life : 34.7 million years ) Niobium - 93 : Proton : 41 : Neutrons : 52 : Electrons : 41 ( Half Life : Stable ) Niobium - 94 : Proton : 41 : Neutrons : 53 : Electrons : 41 ( Half Life : 20300 years )

How Niobium got its name?

Niobium, in fact, has a fairly complicated history for its name. Well, you see, Niobium's normal name is Colombium, name after the ore which founded Niobium, Columbite. However, the discoverer's

( Charles Harchett's ) result is believe to be wrong and therefore the name ' Colombium ' wasn't used.

Until 1844 Heinrich Rose proved him correct and prove that Niobium is the ' daughter ' of Tantalum. And because Tantalum's daughter in Greek stories is Niobe, which after was named Niobium.

Well, it wasn't so complicated after all...

Uses

Niobium is used as alloys which contain Niobium for jet engines and rockets, beams and griders for buildings and oil rigs and gas pipelines.

Jet engine is partially made of Niobium

THIS IS THE END OF NIOBIUM
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