Among the 115 chemical elements known today, many got their name in honor of the heroes of Greek myths, gods. Others called by the names of discoverers and famous scientists. Still others were named according to countries, cities, geographical objects. Of particular interest is the history of the name of such an element as vanadium. And in itself this metal is quite important and has special characteristics. Therefore, we consider it in more detail.
Vanadium - chemical element in the periodic table
If we characterize this element by position in the periodic system, then we can distinguish several main points.
- It is located in the fourth large period, the fifth group, the main subgroup.
- The serial number is 23.
- The atomic mass of the element is 50.9415.
- The chemical symbol is V.
- The Latin name is vanadium.
- The Russian name is vanadium. The chemical element in the formulas reads as "vanadium".
- It is a typical metal, exhibits reducing properties.
According to the position in the system of elements, it is obvious that, as a simple substance, this element will have properties similar to those of tantalum and niobium.
Features of the structure of the atom
Vanadium is a chemical element whose atomic structure is expressed by the general electronic formula 3d 3 4s 2 . Obviously, due to this configuration, both the valency and the oxidation state can exhibit different values.
This formula allows you to predict the properties of vanadium as a simple substance - it is a typical metal, forming a large number of different compounds, including complex ones.
Characteristic valency and oxidation state
Due to the presence of three unpaired electrons at the 3d sublevel, vanadium can exhibit an oxidation state of +3. However, she is not the only one. In total, four possible values are distinguished:
At the same time, vanadium is a chemical element, the valency of which also has two indicators: IV and V. That is why the compounds of this atom are simply numerous, and they all have a beautiful color. Water complexes and metal salts are especially famous for this.
Vanadium: chemical element. Name history
If we talk about the history of the discovery of this metal, then we should turn to the beginning of the XVIII century. It was during this period, in 1801, that the Mexican del Rio managed to discover an element unknown to him in the composition of lead rock, a sample of which he examined. After a series of experiments, del Rio received several beautifully colored metal salts. He gave it the name "erythron", but later mistook it for chromium salts, so he didn’t get the palm in the opening.
Later, another scientist, the Swede Sefström, managed to obtain this metal by isolating it from the composition of iron ore. This chemist had no doubt that the element was new and unknown. Therefore, he is the discoverer. Together with Jens Berzelius, he gave the name to the open element - vanadium.
Why exactly this? In Old Norse mythology, there is one goddess who is the personification of love, perseverance, fidelity and devotion. She is the goddess of beauty. Her name was Vanadis. After the scientists studied the properties of the compounds of the element, it became clear to them that they are very beautiful, colored. And the addition of metal to alloys dramatically increases their quality and strength and stability. Therefore, in honor of the goddess Vanadis, the name was given to an unusual and important metal.
Vanadium is a chemical element, which in the form of a simple substance was obtained even later. Only in 1869, the English chemist G. Roscoe managed to isolate metal in a free form from rock. Another scientist F. Weller proved that the chromium discovered once del Rio is vanadium. However, the Mexican did not live up to this day and did not know about his discovery. The name of the element came to Russia thanks to G.I. Hess.
The simple substance of vanadium
As a simple substance, the atom in question is a metal. It has a number of physical properties.
- Color: silver-white, shiny.
- Brittle, hard, heavy, as the density is 6.11 g / cm 3 .
- The melting point is 1920 0 C, which allows it to be attributed to refractory metals.
- It does not oxidize in air.
Since it is impossible to meet it in nature in free form, people have to separate it from the composition of various minerals and rocks.
Vanadium is a chemical element-metal, which exhibits a fairly high chemical activity when heated under certain conditions. If we talk about the standard environmental parameters, then it is able to react only with concentrated acids, aqua regia.
With some non-metals it forms binary compounds, reactions take place at high temperatures. In alkali melts it dissolves, forming complexes - vanadates. Oxygen, as a strong oxidizing agent, dissolves in vanadium, and the more, the higher the heating temperature of the mixture.
Being in nature and isotopes
If we talk about the prevalence of the atom in question in nature, then vanadium is a chemical element that belongs to scattered. It is part of almost all large rocks, ores and minerals. But nowhere is it more than 2%.
The content in the earth's crust is significant and amounts to 1.9 * 10 -7 . According to this indicator, he is ahead of copper, zinc, lead. The metal does not form its own rocks, however, there are several deposits that are considered to be precisely vanadium. They contain iron, in the crystal lattice of which vanadium atoms are incorporated in large quantities.
These are breeds such as:
- vanadinite;
- patronite;
- carnotite;
- chileitis.
You can also meet the metal in question in the composition:
- plant ash;
- ocean water;
- bodies ascidium, holothurium;
- organisms of terrestrial plants and animals.
If we talk about vanadium isotopes, there are only two of them: with a mass number of 51, of which the vast majority is 99.77%, and with a mass number of 50, which is scattered radioactive and is found in negligible amounts.
Vanadium Compounds
We have already pointed out above that, as a chemical element, a given metal exhibits sufficient activity to form a large number of different compounds. So, the following types of substances with the participation of vanadium are known.
- Oxides
- Hydroxides.
- Binary salts (chlorides, fluorides, bromides, sulfides, iodides).
- Oxy compounds (oxychlorides, oxybromides, oxytrifluorides and others).
- Complex salts.
Since the valency of the element varies quite widely, then a lot of substances are obtained. The main distinguishing feature of all of them is the color. Vanadium is a chemical element, the analysis of compounds of which shows that the color can vary from white and yellow to red and blue, including shades of green, orange, black and purple. In part, this was the reason why the atom was named, because it really looks very beautiful.
However, many of the compounds are obtained only under rather severe reaction conditions. In addition, most of them are toxic substances dangerous to humans. The aggregate state of substances can be very different. For example, chlorides, bromides and fluorides are most often dark pink, green or black crystals. And oxides are in the form of powders.
Production and use of metal
Vanadium is obtained by isolating it from rocks and ores. Moreover, those minerals that contain even 1% of the metal are considered extremely rich in vanadium. After the sample is separated, the mixture of iron and vanadium is transferred into a concentrated solution. Sodium vanadate is isolated from it by acidification, from which a highly concentrated sample with a metal content of up to 90% is subsequently obtained.
Then this dried precipitate is calcined in an oven and vanadium is reduced to a metallic state. In this form, the material is ready for use.
Vanadium is a chemical element that is widely used in industry. Especially in mechanical engineering and smelting of steel alloys. Several main areas of metal use can be identified.
- Textile industry.
- Glass making.
- Manufacture of ceramics and rubber.
- Paint and varnish industry.
- Production and synthesis of chemicals (sulfate production).
- The manufacture of nuclear reactors.
- Aircraft and shipbuilding, mechanical engineering.
Vanadium is a very important alloying component for obtaining light, strong, corrosion-resistant alloys, mainly steel. No wonder it is called "automotive metal."