Yttrium (Y)
MATERIAL
OVERVIEW
(Ytterby, a village in Sweden near Vauxholm) Yttria-- 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 yttira 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, 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 400oC. 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 Y2O3 europium phosphors to give the red color in color television tubes. 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 nuclear 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 also can be used in laser systems and as a catalyst for ethylene polymerization reactions.
It also has 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 one isotope, 89Y. Nineteen other unstable isotopes have been characterized.
Reference: Los Alamos National Laboratory, <http://periodic.lanl.gov/elements/39.html>
GENERAL
PROPERTIES
|
Symbol: |
Y |
|
Atomic
Number: |
39 |
|
Atomic
Weight: |
88.9059 |
|
Density: |
4.469
gm/cc |
|
Melting
Point: |
1522
oC |
|
Boiling
Point: |
3338
oC |
|
Thermal
Conductivity: |
0.172
W/cm/oK
@ 298.2 oK |
|
Electrical
Resistivity: |
57.0
microhm-cm @ 25 oC |
|
Electronegativity: |
1.3
Paulings |
|
Specific
Heat: |
0.068
Cal/g/oK
@ 25 oC |
|
Heat
of Vaporization: |
93
K-Cal/gm atom at 3338 oC |
|
Heat
of Fusion: |
4.10
Cal/gm mole |
|
Thermal
Neutron Cross Section: |
1.38
Barns per Atom |
|
Magnetic
Susceptibility: |
Slightly
Positive 10-6
Emu
@ Room Temp |
|
Magnetic
Moment: |
0
Bohr Magnetons |
|
Temperature
Coefficient of Resistance: |
0.00271
@ 0 oC
to Room Temp
|
TYPICAL ANALYSES
Impurities in ppm
|
Material
/ Purity: |
3N
|
|
Al |
<100 |
|
Ca
|
<100 |
|
Nd |
<100 |
|
Lu |
<100 |
|
Fe |
100 |
|
Ho |
<100 |
|
Si |
100 |
|
Gd |
<100 |
|
Sm |
<100 |
|
Mg |
<100 |
|
Ni |
<100 |
|
Dy |
<100 |
YTTRIUM ROD
|
Material |
Purity |
|
Yttrium
Rod .250” |
3N |
|
Yttrium
Rod .500” |
3N |
Rod is
cut to order and sold by the inch or foot.
YTTRIUM FOIL
|
Material
|
Purity |
|
Yttrium
Foil .001” |
3N |
|
Yttrium
Foil .002” |
3N |
|
Yttrium
Foil .003” |
3N |
|
Yttrium
Foil .004” |
3N |
|
Yttrium
Foil .005” |
3N |
|
Yttrium
Foil .006” |
3N |
|
Yttrium
Foil .007” |
3N |
|
Yttrium
Foil .008” |
3N |
|
Yttrium
Foil .009” |
3N |
Foil is
cut to order and sold by the square inch or square foot.
YTTRIUM SHEET
|
Material |
Purity |
|
Yttrium
Sheet .010” to 0.040” |
3N |
Sheet is
cut to order and sold by the square inch or square foot.
YTTRIUM SPUTTERING
TARGETS
|
Material |
Purity |
|
Yttrium
Sputtering Target 2"D X .125"T |
3N |
|
Yttrium
Sputtering Target 2"D X .250"T |
3N |
|
Yttrium
Sputtering Target 3"D X .125"T |
3N |
|
Yttrium
Sputtering Target 3"D X .250"T |
3N |
|
Yttrium
Sputtering Target 4"D X .125"T |
3N |
|
Yttrium
Sputtering Target 4"D X .250"T |
3N |
YTTRIUM POWDER, SHOT,
PELLETS, & INGOT
|
Material |
Purity |
| Yttrium Ingot | 3N |
|
Yttrium
Chips |
3N |
|
Yttrium Powder -40 Mesh, Under Oil |
3N |
|
Yttrium
Powder -40 Mesh, Ampoules Under Dry Argon |
3N |
Yttrium
Powder -40 Mesh, Cans Under Dry Argon
|
3N |
Powder,
shot, pellets, and ingots are packaged to order and sold by the gram or
kilogram.
YTTRIUM COMPOUNDS
|
Material |
Purity |
|
Yttrium
Aluminide YAl2
1/4" Pieces by Down 2N5 |
2N5 |
|
Yttrium
Aluminum Oxide Y3Al5O12
1/2" to 1/8" Pieces 4N |
4N |
|
Yttrium
Antimonide YSb 1/4" Pieces by Down 2N5 |
2N5 |
|
Yttrium
Bismuthide YBi 1/4" Pieces by Down 2N5 |
2N5 |
|
Yttrium
Boride YB6
-325 Mesh 3N |
3N |
|
Yttrium
Bromide YBr3-xH2O
-60 Mesh 3N |
3N |
|
Yttrium
Bromide YBr3
-60 Mesh 3N |
3N |
|
Yttrium
Carbide YC2
1/2" Pieces by Down 2N5 |
2N5 |
|
Yttrium
Chloride YCl3-xH2O
-60 Mesh 3N |
3N |
|
Yttrium
Chloride YCl3
-60 Mesh 3N |
3N |
|
Yttrium
Fluoride YF3
1/4" to 1/8" Pieces 3N |
3N |
|
Yttrium
Fluoride YF3
-60 Mesh 3N |
3N |
|
Yttrium
Fluoride YF3
-325 Mesh 3N |
3N |
|
Yttrium
Hydride YH2-3
-60 Mesh 3N |
3N |
|
Yttrium
Iodide YI3-xH2O
-60 Mesh 3N |
3N |
|
Yttrium
Iodide YI3
-60 Mesh 3N |
3N |
|
Yttrium
Nitride YN -60 Mesh 3N |
3N |
|
Yttrium
Oxide Y2O3
-325 Mesh 3N 6N |
3N 6N |
|
Yttrium
Oxide Y2O3
1/2" to 1/8" Pieces 3N |
3N |
|
Yttrium
Oxide Y2O3
Tablets 3N |
3N |
|
Yttrium
Oxide Y2O3
-150 +325 Mesh 3N |
3N |
|
Yttrium
Oxide Y2O3
-325 Mesh +10 Microns 3N |
3N |
|
Yttrium
Phosphide YP -60 Mesh 2N5 |
2N5 |
|
Yttrium
Selenide Y2Se3
-100 Mesh 3N |
3N |
|
Yttrium
Sulfide Y2S3
-200 Mesh 3N |
3N |
|
Yttrium
Telluride Y2Te3
-20 Mesh 3N |
3N |
Compounds are packaged to order and sold by the gram or kilogram.
|
Material
Safety Data Sheet - MSDS |