The Properties and Uses of Yttrium

Yttrium metal is a chemical that is a clear, colorless liquid with density: 4.469 g/mL at 25 °C (lit.), boiling point: 3338 °C (lit.), melting point: 1522 °C (lit.), stability: Stable. and storage conditions: separate from oxidizing agents. Yttrium is silvery white to dark gray, or black solid or gray powder. It is odorless. Element of group III-B of the periodic table.

Yttrium Discovery History

The element yttrium was discovered by the Swedish chemist Gadolin in 1794. He named it after the Swedish town of Ytterby, where minerals containing yttrium oxide were found. Mosander (1843) determined that yttrium oxide Chemicalbook chemistry consists of three oxides. Yttrium is present in all rare earths. It is extracted from monazite sand containing about 3 % yttrium. It is also present in small amounts in slag. The yttrium content of the Earth's crust is estimated to be 33 mg/kg. the metal has been detected in lunar rocks.

Yttrium Production Methods

Yttrium is the 27 most abundant element found on Earth, so it is not entirely correct to consider it "rare" - it is just difficult to extract and extract from all the other similar elements found in its minerals. The quarry near Ytterby, Sweden, was analyzed as (Ce, La, Nd, Y)2FeBe2Si2O10. Most of the yttrium was recovered from monazite minerals, a dark sandy mixture of elements [(Ce, La, Th, Nd, Y)PO4] containing about 50% rare earths, including about 3% yttrium. Yttrium is first separated from the other rare earths by magnetic and flotation processes, followed by an iron exchange replacement process. Yttrium ions are combined with fluoride ions and then reduced by using calcium metals that generate yttrium metal (3Ca+2YF3→2Y+3CaF2). This reduction process produces high purity yttrium, which can be made into ingots, crystals, sponges, powders and wires.

Yttrium Product Applications

Yttrium aluminum garnet is used as a laser material, yttrium iron garnet is used in microwave technology and acoustic energy transfer, and europium-doped yttrium vanadate and europium-doped yttrium oxide are used as phosphors for color televisions.

Yttrium is a widely used metal, the main uses are.

(1) additives for steel and non-ferrous alloys. FeCr alloy usually contains 0.5-4% yttrium, yttrium can enhance the oxidation resistance and ductility of these stainless steels; MB26 alloy with the addition of a suitable amount of yttrium-rich mixed rare earths, the comprehensive performance of the alloy has been significantly improved, and can replace part of the medium-strength aluminum alloy used in the stress components of aircraft; in Al-Zr alloy with a small amount of yttrium-rich rare earths, can improve the alloy conductivity; the alloy has been adopted by most domestic electric wire factories; adding yttrium in copper alloy improves conductivity and mechanical strength.

(2) Silicon nitride ceramic materials containing 6% yttrium and 2% aluminum can be used to develop engine components.

(3) A Nd-Yttrium-Al garnet laser beam with a power of 400 watts is used for mechanical processing of large components such as drilling, cutting and welding.

(4) Electron microscope fluorescence screen composed of Y-Al garnet single crystal sheet with high fluorescence brightness, low absorption of scattered light, and good resistance to high temperature and mechanical wear.

(5) High yttrium structural alloys containing up to 90% yttrium can be used in aerospace and other applications requiring low density and high melting point.

(6) Yttrium-doped SrZrO3 high-temperature proton-conducting materials, which are currently attracting much attention, are of great importance for the production of fuel cells, electrolytic cells and gas-sensitive components requiring high hydrogen solubility.

In addition, yttrium is also used as high-temperature resistant spraying material, diluent for atomic energy reactor fuel, additive for permanent magnet materials, and as gas absorbent in the electronics industry.