Yttrium

Yttrium - Y

CAS: 7440-65-5
Description: Silvery metal
Classification: Transition Metal
Date of Discovery: 1794
Discoverer: Johann Gadolin
Name Origin: Ytterby, village in Sweden near Vauxholm

Atomic Number: 39
Number of Neutrons: 50
Atomic Mass: 88.90585(2) amu
Melting Point: 1522 °C
Boiling Point: 3345 °C
Density (25 &degC): 4.469 g/cm³
Atomic volume: 19.8 cm³/mol
Electrical resistivity: 0.0166 10^-6/cm

Thermal conductivity: 0.172 W/cmK
Enthalpy of atomization: 418 kJ/mol (est.)
Enthalpy of vaporization: 363.0 kJ/mol
Enthalpy of fusion: 11.40 kJ/mol
Specific heat capacity: 0.30 J/gK

Energy levels: 2-8-18-9-2
Electron configuration: [Kr]4d¹5s²
Crystal Structure: Hexagonal
Atomic radius: 2.27 Å
Covalent radius: 1.62 Å
Oxidation States: +3
Electronegativity, Pauling: 1.22
Electron affinity: 0.307 eV
First ionization energy: 6.38 eV
2nd ionization energy: 12.24 eV
3rd ionization energy: 20.52 eV
Polarizability: 22.7 10^-24cm³

Isotope	Natural Abundance	Atomic Mass	Half-life	Decay Mode	Spin
⁷⁸Y	77.9435	⁺
⁷⁹Y	78.9374	15 s	⁺
⁸⁰Y	79.9320	36 s	⁺	(4)
⁸¹Y	80.9291	1.21 m	⁺
⁸²Y	81.9268	9.5 s	⁺	1+
^83mY	2.85 m	⁺; EC	1/2-
⁸³Y	82.92235	7.1 m	⁺; EC
^84mY	4.6 s	⁺; EC	1+
⁸⁴Y	83.9203	40 m	⁺; EC	5-
^85mY	4.9 h	⁺; EC	9/2+
⁸⁵Y	84.91643	2.6 h	⁺; EC	1/2-
^86mY	48 m	IT; ⁺; EC
⁸⁶Y	85.91489	14.74 h	⁺; EC	4-
^87mY	13 h	IT; ⁺; EC	9/2+
⁸⁷Y	86.910880	3.35 d	EC	1/2-
⁸⁸Y	87.909506	106.6 d	EC; ⁺	4-
^89mY	15.7 s	IT	9/2+
⁸⁹Y	100.	88.905849	Stable	1/2-
^90mY	3.24 h	IT; ^-	7+
⁹⁰Y	89.907152	2.67 d	^-	2-
^91mY	49.7 m	IT	9/2+
⁹¹Y	90.907301	58.5 d	^-	1/2-
⁹²Y	91.90893	3.54 h	^-	2-
^93mY	0.82 s	IT	9/2+
⁹³Y	92.9056	10.2 h	^-	1/2-
⁹⁴Y	93.91160	18.7 m	^-	2-
⁹⁵Y	94.91279	10.3 m	^-	1/2-
^96mY	9.6 s	^-	(3+)
⁹⁶Y	95.91588	6.2 s	^-	0-
^97mY	1.21 s	^-	9/2+
⁹⁷Y	96.91813	3.76 s	^-	1/2-
^98mY	2.1 s	^-	(4-)
⁹⁸Y	97.92224	0.59 s	^-	1+
⁹⁹Y	98.92463	1.47 s	^-	1/2-
^100mY	0.94 s	^-	3+
¹⁰⁰Y	99.9278	0.73 s	^-	1+
¹⁰¹Y	100.9303	0.43 s	^-	(5/2)
¹⁰²Y	101.9336	0.36 s	^-
Yttria, which is an earth containing yttrium, was discovered by Gadolin in 1794. Ytterby is the site of a quarry which yielded many unusual minerals containing rare earths and other elements. This small town, near Stockholm, bears the honor of giving names to erbium, terbium, and ytterbium as well as yttrium. In 1843 Mosander showed that yttria could be resolved into the oxides (or earths) of three elements. The name yttria was reserved for the most basic one; the others were named erbia and terbia. Yttrium occurs in nearly all of the rare-earth minerals. Analysis of lunar rock samples obtained during the Apollo missions show a relatively high yttrium content. It is recovered commercially from monazite sand, which contains about 3%, and from bastnasite [(Y,Ce)(CO₃)F], which contains about 0.2%. Wohler obtained the impure element in 1828 by reduction of the anhydrous chloride with potassium. The metal is now produced commercially by reduction of the fluoride with calcium metal. It can also be prepared by other techniques. Yttrium has a silver-metallic luster and is relatively stable in air. Turnings of the metal, however, ignite in air if their temperature exceeds 400 °C, and finely divided yttrium is very unstable in air. Yttrium oxide is one of the most important compounds of yttrium and accounts for the largest use. It is widely used in making YVO₄ europium, and Y₂0₃ europium phosphors to give the red color in color television tubes. Many hundreds of thousands of pounds are now used in this application. Yttrium oxide also is used to produce yttrium-iron-garnets, which are very effective microwave filters. Yttrium iron, aluminum, and gadolinium garnets, with formulas such as Y₃Fe₅O₁₂ and Y₃Al₅O₁₂, have interesting magnetic properties. Yttrium iron garnet is also exceptionally efficient as both a transmitter and transducer of acoustic energy. Yttrium aluminum garnet, with a hardness of 8.5, is also finding use as a gemstone (simulated diamond). Small amounts of yttrium (0.1 to 0.2%) can be used to reduce the grain size in chromium, molybdenum, zirconium, and titanium, and to increase strength of aluminum and magnesium alloys. Alloys with other useful properties can be obtained by using yttrium as an additive. The metal can be used as a deoxidizer for vanadium and other nonferrous metals. The metal has a low cross section for nuclear capture. ⁹⁰Y, one of the isotopes of yttrium, exists in equilibrium with its parent ⁹⁰Sr, a product of atomic explosions. Yttrium has been considered for use as a nodulizer for producing nodular cast iron, in which the graphite forms compact nodules instead of the usual flakes. Such iron has increased ductility. Yttrium is also finding application in laser systems and as a catalyst for ethylene polymerization. It has also potential use in ceramic and glass formulas, as the oxide has a high melting point and imparts shock resistance and low expansion characteristics to glass. Natural yttrium contains but one isotope, ⁸⁹Y. Thirty-seven other unstable isotopes and isomers have been characterized. LINKS: Homing In on Cancer Cells Minerals Containing Yttrium Yttrium Aluminium Garnet (YAG) Yttrium-Based Material Forms Uncooled IR Detectors Return Sources for the information on this website include: Lide, David R., ed. CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics, 78th Ed., 1997-1998.

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