Erbium

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Erbium
By K.C.
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Erbium Er 68 167.259 7440-52-0
Erbium was discovered in 1843 by Carl Gustav
Mosander. Erbium along with three other elements
was named after Ytterby, a town near Stockholm,
Sweden. The minerals containing the four new
elements were discovered in a mine near Ytterby.
Klemm and Bommer first produced reasonably pure
Erbium metal in 1934 by reducing the anhydrous
chloride with potassium vapor.

Color silvery white Classification Metallic
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Periodic Table

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PHYSICAL DATA
Standard state solid at 298 KColor silvery
whiteDensity of solid at ambient temperature/kg
m-3 9066Molar volume/cm3 18.46 Electronic
configuration Xe.4f12.6s2
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Thermal Data
Melting point 1529 C Boiling point 2868 C
Specific heat 0.17 J/gKHeat of fusion 19.90
kJ/molHeat of vaporization 261.0 kJ/molThermal
conductivity 0.143 W/cmK
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Steric Data
Atomic radius 2.45 ÅIonic radius 1.00 Å
()Covalent radius 1.57 ÅAtomic volume 18.4
cm³/molDensity (293 K) 9.05 g/cm³Crystal
structure Hexagonal

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Electronic Data
Shells 2,8,18,30,8,2Orbitals Xe 4f12
6s2Electronegativity 1.1, --1. Ionization
potential 6.1078 eV2. Ionization potential
11.929 eV3. Ionization potential 22.739
eVOxidation states 3Electrical conductivity
0.0117 106
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Pure erbium metal is soft and malleable and has a
bright, silvery, metallic luster. The metal is
fairly stable in air and does not oxidize as
rapidly as some of the other rare-earth metals.
The cost of 99 erbium metal is about 650/kg.

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Atomic Structure
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Hazards and Risks
Erbium compounds are encountered rarely by most
people. All Erbium compounds should be regarded
as highly toxic although initial evidence would
appear to suggest the danger is limited. The
metal dust presents a fire and explosion hazard.
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Uses
Erbium oxide is used in ceramics to obtain a pink
glaze. Also a few uses in the nuclear industry
and as an alloying agent for other exotic metals.
For example, it increases the malleability of
vanadium.  
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Shell Structure
Ground state electron configuration 
Xe.4f12.6s2 Shell structure  2.8.18.30.8.2
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Thank you for the Information
www.resource-world.net/Er.htm
www.webelements.com www.chempros.com
www.vcs.ethz.ch www.chemicalelements.com