Bismuth

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lead - bismuth - polonium

Sb
Bi
Uup

Image:Bi-TableImage.png
Full table

General

Name, Symbol, Number Bismuth, Bi, 83

Chemical series Poor metals

Group, Period, Block 15 (VA), 6 , p

Density, Hardness 9780 kg/m³, 2.25

Appearance lustrous
reddish white

Atomic properties

Atomic weight 208.98038 amu

Atomic radius (calc.) 160 (143) pm

Covalent radius 146 pm

van der Waals radius no data

Electron configuration [Xe]44 f¹⁴ 5d¹⁰ 6s² 6p³

e^- 's per energy level 2, 8, 18, 32, 18, 5

Oxidation states (Oxide) 3, 5 (mildly acidic)

Crystal structure Rhombohedral

Physical properties

State of matter Solid

Melting point 544.4 K (520.3 °F)

Boiling point 1837 K (2847 °F)

Molar volume 21.31 ×1010^-6 m³/mol

Heat of vaporization 104.8 kJ/mol

Heat of fusion 11.3 kJ/mol

Vapor pressure 0.000627 Pa at 544 K

Speed of sound 1790 m/s at 293.15 K

Miscellaneous

Electronegativity 2.02 (Pauling scale)

Specific heat capacity 122 J/(kg×K)

Electrical conductivity 0.867 10⁶/m ohm

Thermal conductivity 07.87 W/(m×K)

1^st ionization potential 703 kJ/mol

2^nd ionization potential 1610 kJ/mol

3^rd ionization potential 2466 kJ/mol

4^th ionization potential 4370 kJ/mol

5^th ionization potential 5400 kJ/mol

6^th ionization potential 8520 kJ/mol

Most stable isotopes

iso NA half-life DM DE M eV DP

²⁰⁷Bi {syn.} 31.55 y &epsilon 2.399 ²⁰⁷Pb

²⁰⁸Bi {syn.} 3,368,000 y ε 2.880 ²⁰⁸Pb

²⁰⁹Bi 100% (1.9±0.2) ×10¹⁹y &alpha ²⁰⁵ Tl

SI units & STP are used except where noted.

Bismuth is a chemical element in the periodic table that has the symbol Bi and atomic number 83. This heavy, brittle, white crystalline trivalent poor metal has a pink tinge and chemically resembles arsenic and antimony. Most diamagnetic of all metals, bismuth has the lowest thermal conductivity of all the elements except mercury. Lead-free bismuth compounds are used in cosmetics and in medical procedures.

Table of contents

1 Notable characteristics
2 Applications
3 Crystals
4 History
5 Occurrence
6 Reference
7 External links

Notable characteristics

It is a brittle metal with a pinkish hue with an iridescent tarnish. Among the heavy metalss, it is the heaviest and the only non-toxic. No other metal is more diamagnetic than bismuth, except mercury. This metal, which occurs in its native form, has a high electrical resistance and also has the highest Hall effect of any metal (that is, it has the greatest increase in electrical resistance when it is placed in a magnetic field). When heated in air bismuth burns with a blue flame and its oxide forms yellow fumes.

Before 2003, bismuth was thought to be the heaviest stable element. However, researchers at the Institut d'Astrophysique Spatiale in Orsay, France measured the alpha emission half-life of Bi-209 to be (1.9 ± 0.2) × 10¹⁹ years, meaning that bismuth is not stable after all.

Applications

Bismuth oxychloride is extensively used in cosmetics and bismuth subnitrate and subcarbonate are used in medicine.

Some other uses are:

Strong permanent magnets can be made from the alloy bismanol (MnBiBi).
Many bismuth alloys have low melting points and are widely used for fire detection and suppression system safety devices.
Bismuth is used in producing malleable irons.
Bismuth is finding use as a catalyst for making acrylic fibers.
Also used as a thermocouple material.
A carrier for U-235 or U-233 fuel in nuclear reactors.
Bismuth has also been used in solders. The fact that bismuth and many of its alloys expand slightly when they freeze make them ideal for this purpose.
Bismuth subnitrate is a component of glazes that produces an iridescent luster finish.

In the early 1990s, research began on the evaluation of bismuth as a nontoxic replacement for lead in such uses as ceramic glazes, fishing sinkers, food processing equipment, free-machining brasses for plumbing applications, lubricating greases, and shot for waterfowl hunting.

Crystals

Bismuth Crystal

Though virtually unseen in nature, high-purity bismuth can form into distinctive hopper crystals. These colorful laboratory creations are typically sold to hobbyists.

History

Bismuth (New Latin bisemutum from German Wismuth, perhaps from weisse Masse, "white mass") was confused in early times with tin and lead due to its resemblance to those elements. Claude Geoffroy Junine showed in 1753 that this metal is distinct from lead.

Occurrence

The most important ores of bismuth are bismuthinite and bismite. Canada, Bolivia, Japan, Mexico, and Peru are major producers. Bismuth produced in the United States is obtained as a by-product of copper, gold, lead, silver, tin and especially lead ore processing. The average price for bismuth in 2000 was US 7.70 per kilogram.

Reference

Los Alamos National Laboratory - Bismuth