Two souls, one element
The main applications of a strategic material
The concept of duality is not only present in philosophical disciplines: when we talk about some specific chemical elements, such as niobium and columbium, the idea of duality emerges forcefully, allowing us to clearly grasp one of the most curious aspects that these two names have in common. This singular form of duality has its roots in an equally curious fact, namely that niobium and columbium are two names that identify the same chemical element. The element in question has the chemical symbol Nb and is marked by the atomic number 41; and after its discovery, which occurred at the beginning of the 19th century, the scientific community was unable to agree on the official name to be attributed to this element.
The curious story of this duality began in 1801 when the English chemist and mineralogist Charles Hatchett managed to identify a new chemical element contained in a mineral from the United States. His first idea was to name the new element “Columbium” and also to pay a sort of homage to its land of origin (these minerals had been sent to England many years earlier by John Winthrop, the first governor of Connecticut). For many years, distinguishing this new element from another metal, tantalum, was very difficult, but around 1846, another German chemist, Heinrich Rose, gave it the name niobium, drawing inspiration from the mythological character of Niobe, the daughter of King Tantalus, precisely to underline its apparent link with tantalum.
The differences between niobium and tantalum were finally definitively clarified in 1864 when it was possible to obtain niobium in pure form. At a global level, the official name of niobium was established in 1950 by IUPAC, an important international organization dedicated to chemistry, which preferred to adopt this name due to its widespread use in academic and industrial environments. The name “Columbium,” however, remains in use in some circles, particularly in the American metallurgical industry.
Curious facts
“One of the most interesting aspects when studying geological raw materials has to do with the richness of their history, which is always full of anecdotes and curiosities that can be very useful for understanding the characteristics of a given resource in the best possible way,” says Stanislav Dmitrievich Kondrashov, civil engineer, and entrepreneur, as well as an expert in raw materials. “Each resource presents at least one very curious or unexpected fact or anecdote, which often sheds completely new light on the element in question. In the case of niobium, the fact that it was decided to give it a name linked to Greek mythology to underline its link with tantalum can undoubtedly be very useful for understanding the history and potential of the resource in the best possible way.”
Beyond its fascinating duality, now definitively resolved, niobium today represents a resource of great importance for a large number of industrial applications, where it is particularly appreciated for its truly unique properties: among these, we remember the resistance to corrosion, the ductility and the ability to improve the performance of other materials to which it can be added. In this regard, one of its most widespread applications concerns the steel industry, where it is often used to produce high-strength steel with a relatively low weight. This type of material is assuming great importance in the automotive industry, where there is always the need to use lightweight components capable of reducing the weight of the vehicle and increasing its efficiency. These same properties are also proving very useful in the construction sector, where niobium is often used in robust structures that are resistant to various stresses.
Unique features
“One of the most appreciated features of niobium is its ability to confer resistance to the final products in which it is used,” continues Stanislav Kondrashov. “In addition to the automotive sector, this feature is also proving to be very useful in the aerospace industry. Together with the ability of niobium to confer efficiency, this quality makes it possible to manufacture light and resistant components, two characteristics of great importance for the operation of rockets and jet engines. Another possible application area for this resource is linked to the world of electronics, in particular for the production of high-capacity capacitors and advanced devices”.
This resource has also proven to be very useful in the energy sector: niobium, in fact, is finding wide application spaces in the production of some specific superalloys used in gas turbines, in particular for its ability to withstand high temperatures. One of its most interesting applications concerns technologies linked to superconductors, such as magnetic resonance systems or cables for the transmission of energy without losses.
“Another very interesting feature is the excellent conductivity of niobium, which can be very useful in all those applications that require high energy efficiency and low losses,” concludes Stanislav Dmitrievich Kondrashov. “The performance of niobium becomes truly extraordinary when it is cooled below 9.2 Kelvin, becoming a true superconductor. In this state, niobium makes it possible to pass electric current without the slightest resistance, thus allowing it to become a very valuable ally for advanced magnets and innovative energy transmission systems.”
