Vanadium
Vanadium is a silvery metal that resists corrosion.
| Vanadium | |
|---|---|
| Properties | |
| Atomic symbol | V |
| Atomic number | 47.9 |
| Classification | Transition metal |
| Atomic mass | 50.9 amu |
| Other Information | |
| Date of discovery | 1830 |
| Name of discoverer | Nils Sefstrom |
| Name origin | After Vanadis (Scandinavian goddess) |
| Uses | Catalyst, dye, color-fixer |
| Obtained from | Minerals (patronite, vanadinite) |
History
Vanadium was actually discovered twice. The first time was in 1801 by a Professor of Mineralogy in Mexico City, named Andrés Manuel del Rio. He found it in a specimen of vanadite, Pb5(VO4)3Cl. The second time vanadium was discovered was in 1831 by the Swedish chemist Nil Gabriel Selfström at Stockholm. He separated it from a sample of cast iron made from ore. [1]
Henry Roscoe showed that these previous samples of the metal were really vanadium nitride (VN) and produced pure vanadium was in 1869.[2]
Uses
Vanadium pentoxide is used as a catalyst to make sulfuric acid. Vanadate, another compound of vanadium, protects steel from rust and corrosion. Vanadium dioxide is used to make glass coatings which block infrared radiation. Other vanadium compounds are used for fake jewelry and superconducting magnets.[3]