Vanadium: Vanadium

Located in Group 5 and Period 4 is one of the element used in aircrafts. This is Vanadium.

First discovered in 1801 by the Spanish Chemist Andres Manuel del Rio and first isolated by Sir Henry Enfield Roscoe in 1867.

Andres Manuel del Rio

Andres discovered Vanadium when he became a professor of minerology at the school of mines in Mexico City. While he was a teacher, he studied minerals. He believed he had found an element. He announced his discovery in 1801 and he suggested the name Panchromium, meaning all colors.

However, after Andres sent the mineral to his colleagues for studying in Europe for confirmation of his discovery. Unfortunately, they concluded that the element Andres discovered is actually Chromium. After Andres got his results, Andres got discouraged and eventually gave up his discovery.

Thirty years later, Andres's element was discovered again. However, it was discovered by another person, called Sefström. Sefström founded the element in an iron ore taken from a Swedish mine. Soon, Sefström realized that the element he discovered is similar to the element Andreas discovered. So, Sefström also gave up his discoverer credit.

Niels Gabriel Seftström

Vanadium wasn't officially discovered until 1867 when Sir Henry Enfield Roscoe by combining Vanadium Trichloride ( VCI₃ ) with Hydrogen gas ( H₂ ). Henry officially announced that Andreas had actually discovered a new element in 1867.

Sir Henry Enfield Roscoe

Now, Vanadium is isolated from the minerals/ ores named Vanadinite and Carnotite. People can isolate Vanadium by heating the crushed ore in the presence of Chlorine and Carbon. Then, the Vanadium Trichloride was heated with Magnesium in an Argon atmosphere.

Vanadium is quite uncommon, where you can find 100 parts per million in the Earth's Crust. Some ores you can actually find Vanadium is Vanadite, Carnotite, Roscoelite and Patronite.

Vanadite

Up to date, Vanadium is known to be existing in our bodies, which is estimated to appear to be less than 1 milligram founded in kidneys, lungs, bones and many other of our body parts. However, even though Vanadium exist in our body, there is still no known benefits known for our body.

In medical purposes, Vanadium acts as a treatment to diseases such as Diabetes, Low Blood Sugar, High Cholesterol, Heart diseases and many other health hazard diseases.

However, Vanadium's compounds can be toxic to living things. For example, Vanadium Pentoxide may cause severe irritation of the eyes, skin, upper respiratory tract and many other diseases, although it seems to be good for medical purposes.

Future Tesla Illustration

Besides, Vanadium is also predicted by scientist to be used in future car technologies soon.

Atomic Number : 23
Name : Vanadium
Latin Name : Vanadium
Electrons per Shell : [ 2, 8, 11, 2 ]
Discoverer : Andreas Manuel de Rio ( 1801 )
Isolator : Sir Henry Enfield Roscoe ( 1867 )
Element's : Atomic Mass : 50.942 u
: Density : 5.8 g/cm
: Type : Transition Metal

Chemical Properties :

Vanadium - 51

doesn't dissolve in water
doesn't react with oxygen in room temperature
doesn't react with some acids
reacts with hot acids
31 isotopes : 3 of them are :
Vanadium - 49 : Protons : 23
: Neutrons : 26
: Electrons : 23
( Half Life : 330 days )

Vanadium - 50 : Protons : 23
: Neutrons : 27
: Electrons : 23
( Half Life : 15 quadrillion years )

Vanadium - 51 : Protons : 23
: Neutrons : 28
: Electrons : 23
( Half Life : Stable )

Physical Properties :

Silvery - white color
Ductile
Metallic - looking
Melting Point : 1900 degrees Celsius ( 3500 Fahrenheit )
Boiling Point : 3000 degrees Celsius ( 5400 Fahrenheit )

How Vanadium got its name?

Vanadium is named after the Scandivanian Love Goddess Vanadis. It was actually Seftström who named this element.

Uses

Vanadium is used as alloying. These alloys containing Vanadium is much more stronger, tougher, and more resistant to rust. This alloys is mainly used in space vehicles and aircraft. Pure Vanadium is used in cutting and grinding. Another uses for Vanadium Alloys is used in building, which is for Heavy Constructions, machinery, tools and more.