Niobium (Nb)
"The Superconductor, a hero who gains amazing powers at low temperatures, creating powerful magnetic fields."
A memorable persona to anchor Nb in your mind.
8.57
Grams per cm³
2477
Celsius (°C)
207
Radius (pm)
Daily Life Link
Niobium is found in the superconducting magnets in an MRI machine.
Discovery & History
Year Discovered
1801
Discovered By
Charles Hatchett
Origin of Name
"The name comes from Niobe from Greek mythology, who was the daughter of king Tantalus. This was chosen because of niobium's chemical similarity to tantalum"
Technical Properties
Atomic Mass
92.906 u
Standard State
solid
Boiling Point
4741°C
Electron Configuration
[Kr] 4d45s1
1st Ionization Energy
6.759 eV
Electron Affinity
N/A
Oxidation States
"Niobium is a soft, grey, ductile metal."
Did You Know?
It was originally named 'columbium' (Cb) after Columbia (a historical name for the Americas) where the first mineral containing it was found. It was officially renamed niobium in 1949.
It is named after Niobe, a figure from Greek mythology and the daughter of Tantalus, because the element is so chemically similar to tantalum.
Niobium becomes a superconductor at very low temperatures and is used to make powerful superconducting magnets for MRI scanners and particle accelerators.
Adding a small amount of niobium to steel dramatically increases its strength, making it crucial for high-strength, low-alloy (HSLA) steel used in pipelines and car parts.