Periodic Table

Niobium

Transition Metal

Quick Facts about Niobium

Zr
  • solid- state of matter at room temperature
  • Stable- has at least one stable isotope
  • +5, +3- common oxidation states in compounds
  • BCC- crystal structure, atomic arrangement in solid form
Mo

Niobium (Nb) is element 41 on the periodic table. Atomic mass of Nb: 92.9060 u. Nb is in period 5, group 5. Melting point of Nb: 2750.00 K.Density of Nb: 8.57 g/cm³.

Why Niobium Matters

Niobium in everyday life and industry

In Your Home

  • The Large Hadron Collider uses tonnes of superconducting niobium
  • Niobium is used in high-end jewelry, producing vibrant anodized colors

Industry Uses

Mri machinesMRI machines use niobium-based superconducting magnets
Jet engineJet engine components contain niobium alloys for high-temperature strength

In Your Body

✗ Not essential

Niobium has no known biological role. The element is considered hypoallergenic, making it suitable for body jewelry. Very little niobium is absorbed through the digestive system.

Safety: Niobium compounds are generally non-toxic to humans

Discovery of Niobium

Discovered by Charles Hatchet in England, 1801

Name origin: From Niobe; daughter of the mythical Greek king Tantalus.

History & Events

1801
Originally called 'columbium' in America (still used in metallurgy)
1801
Named after Niobe, daughter of Tantalus in Greek mythology
1801
Discovered in 1801 by Charles Hatchett in a British Museum mineral sample
1801
Brazil produces about 90% of the world's niobium supply

About Niobium

Soft, ductile grey-blue metallic transition element. Used in special steels and in welded joints to increase strength. Combines with halogens and oxidizes in air at 200 degrees celsius. Discovered by Charles Hatchett in 1801 and isolated by Blomstrand in 1864. Called Columbium originally.

Atomic Properties of Nb

Atomic Number of Nb
41
Atomic Mass of Nb
92.9060 u
Electron Configuration
[Kr] 4d4 5s1
Electronegativity
1.60
Block
d-block
Group
5
Period
5

Physical Properties of Nb

Phase (STP)
solid
Melting Point of Nb
2750.00 K
Boiling Point of Nb
5017.00 K
Density of Nb
8.5700 g/cm3

Thermal Properties

Heat of Fusion
26.80 kJ/mol
Heat of Vaporization
680.00 kJ/mol
Specific Heat
0.27 J/g·K
Molar Heat Capacity
24.60 J/mol·K
Thermal Conductivity
53.70 W/m·K

Atomic Radii

Calculated
145 pm
Covalent
147 pm
Van der Waals
218 pm
Metallic
134 pm

Common Misconceptions

Wrong:Niobium and columbium are different elements.
Correct:They are the same element—'columbium' was the American name used for over 150 years before IUPAC standardized on 'niobium'.
Wrong:Niobium is rare and scarce.
Correct:Brazil has enormous reserves and produces ~90% of world supply. Niobium is expensive due to processing costs, not scarcity.
Wrong:Niobium is magnetic.
Correct:Niobium is not magnetic on its own, but becomes superconducting at low temperatures—critical for MRI magnets.

Isotopes of Niobium

Niobium has 1 naturally occurring isotope, plus 1 notable radioactive isotope.

IsotopeAtomic Mass (u)AbundanceHalf-LifeDecay Mode
9341Nb (Nb-93)Niobium-93 isotope92.906373100.00%
9541Nb (Nb-95)Niobium-95 isotope94.90683580%34.99 daysβ⁻

Data source: NIH PubChem (aggregated from IUPAC, NIST)

Isotope Applications

Isotopes of Niobium have important real-world applications in science and industry.

Medical Applications

95ᵐNb (metastable, half-life 3.6 days) has been used in tumor research and imaging studies.

Abundance

Earth's Crust
20.0 mg/kg
Seawater
1.00×10-5 mg/L

Uses

Used as an alloy with iron and nickel. It can be used in nuclear reactors and is known to be superconductive when alloyed with tin, aluminum or zirconium.

Sources

Occurs in a mineral columbite. Formerly known as colombium (Cb). It is used in stainless steel alloys for nuclear reactors, jets and missiles.

Geochemistry

Goldschmidt
litophile
Geochemical Class
high field strength

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