Scandium: Scandium

Located at Group 3 and Period 4 is one of the element used in bicycle frames, fishing rods, golf iron shafts and even baseball bats. This is Scandium.

First discovered by a Swedish Chemist called Lars Fredrik Nilson in 1879 and isolated by Fischer and his colleagues in 1937.

Actually, the presence of Scandium has been long predicted by the father of Periodic Table, Dmitri Mendeleev. Dmitri predicted that there would be existence of a new element which he called ekaboron. The prediction was made when Dmitri developed a Periodic Table based on his Periodic law.

Dmitri Mendeleev

After Dmitri finished his first periodic table, he saw many empty spaces. Until 1869, there is only 60 elements discovered. Now, there is 118 elements discovered and named. So, empty spaces in the Periodic Table is a must - be.

Dmitri's Periodic Table 1869 update

So, while examining the empty spaces of his periodic table, he went predicted what element would be discovered. He said that by examining the posistion of the elements, Dmitri could predict how the elements are going to look like.

For example, element number 21 would be like Boron. This is what Dmitri predicted. In Mendeleev's Periodic Table, above element 21 is Boron. Dmitri decided to call element 21 ekaboron, meaning ' similar to boron'

After Mendeleev prediction was made, a lot of scientist got excited. Could Dmitri's prediction be correct? Would they be the discoverer of the elements? So, a lot of scientist tried to discover more elements to fill up Dmitri's Periodic Table.

Lars Fredrik Nilson

So, in 1879, a Swedish Chemist called Lars Fredrik Nilson decided to take up the challenge among all the scientists by trying to discover the long - predicted element 21. Fredrik studied to minerals known as gadolinite and euxenite. Finally, in 1879, Fredrik announced the discovery of ekaboron, which he after called it Scandium.

Fredrik's discovery of Scandium is very important to Dmitri's Periodic Table. After Fredrik's discovery was made, it was proven that Mendeleev's periodic law is correct. It was officially proven that Mendeleev's law did show how elements are related to each other. By using this prove, more elements could be discovered!

However, the new element discovered by Fredrik wasn't exactly pure Scandium. It was a compound of Scandium Oxide. It is very difficult to isolate Oxide from Scandium. So, the isolation work was only left to be made in 1937 by Fischer and his colleagues.

Wolframite

Now, Scandium can be extracted purely by reacting Scandium Fluoride with another active metal, such as Calcium, or Zinc.

Scandium is thought to be quite rare on earth, which is estimated to be existing to be about 5 - 6 parts per million in the Earth's Crust. Interestingly, there seems to be more Scandium in the sun and some stars in the outer space than it is on Earth.

Scandium is thought to be existing in 800 different minerals. Of course, we are not going to state all. two most important ores that contain Scandium are Thortveitite and Wolframite.

Scandium can be very dangerous because if inhaled, it can cause lung embolisms, especially to long term exposure. Scandium can also be a threat to the liver if it accumulates in the human's body.

Atomic Number : 21
Name : Scandium
Latin Name : Scandium
Electrons per Shell : [ 2, 8, 9, 2 ]
Discoverer : Lars Fredrik Nilson ( 1879 )
Isolator : Fischer and his colleagues ( 1937 )
Element's : Atomic Mass : 44.956 u
: Density : 2.985 g/cm³
: Type : Transition Metal
Chemical Properties :

Scandium - 45

reacts with acids
reacts easily with oxygen in the air
36 isotopes : 3 of them are :
Scandium - 45 : Protons : 21
: Neutrons : 24
: Electrons : 21
( Half Life : Stable )

Scandium - 46 : Protons : 21
: Neutrons : 25
: Electrons : 21
( Half Life : 83.79 days )

Scandium - 47 : Protons : 21
: Neutrons : 26
: Electrons : 21
( Half Life : 80.38 hours )

Physical Properties :

Silvery - white color
Slight pink/ yellow when exposed to air
Malleable
Ductile
Melting Point : 1538 degrees Celsius ( 2800 Fahrenheit )
Boiling Point : 2700 degrees Celsius ( 4900 Fahrenheit )

How Scandium got its name?

Scandium got its name from from Lars Fredrik Nilson's hometown, Scandinavia, the region which Nilson's homeland of Sweden is located.

Scandinavia

Uses

Scandium is used in many places. Such as making alloys for special purposes. Scandium is a light and rust - resistant metal. Besides, Scandium also has high melting point. So, Scandium is the best element to be used in sporting equipments including bicycle frames, baseball bats, fishing rods and many more.

Road Bike Frames are mostly made of Scandium

Scandium alloys may also have some uses in aerospace industry. However, these uses has not yet been used. Mainly because of the alloy's expensive costs.

Some cheaper Scandium alloys are used in specialized lamps. Aluminium - Scandium alloy is also used in some of the parts in MiG - 29 military jet.