The role and use of
niobium is used in superconductor, making superalloy, making medical instruments, improving the performance of steel, but also a large number of computers, radar, missiles, supersonic aircraft, automatic control devices and color television, stereo television and so on. A metallic element of niobium. Niobium absorbs gas and is used as a degassing agent. It is also a good superconductor. Niobium is a grayish white metal, melting point 2468℃, boiling point 4742℃, density 8.57g/cubic centimeter. Niobium is stable in air at room temperature, and is not completely oxidized when it is red hot in oxygen. It is directly combined with sulfur, nitrogen and carbon at high temperature, and can form alloys with
titanium,
zirconium, hafnium and
tungsten. Does not interact with inorganic acids or bases, is also insoluble in aqua regia, but soluble in hydrofluoric acid. The oxidation states of niobium are -1, + 2, +3, +4 and +5, and the compounds with +5 valence are the most stable. Niobium is a glossy gray metal that is paramagnetic and belongs to group 5 on the periodic table. High purity niobium metals have high ductility but harden with increasing impurity content.
