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Rundown about Erbium

Erbium(Er) is one of the lanthanide elements with an atomic number 68. Erbium is a bright, soft silvery white rare earth metal that slowly tarnishes in air and slowly reacts with water. Erbium dissolve in acids. Mostly in compounds erbium presents in its trivalent state(Er3+). Pure erbium is metal that can be easily shaped meaning that it is a malleable chemical element. Erbium has no biological role, but there are thoughts that it is able to stimulate metabolism. As a chemical property, erbium is little electropositive element that reacts with water to form erbium hydroxide. In addition, erbium reacts with all halogens. In acids erbium exists as hydrated erbium([Er(OH2)9]3+) which has a rose red color. Erbium was discovered by Swedish chemist Carl GustafMosander in 1843 together with another rare earth metal called ytterbium in Swedish village called Ytterby. However, the pure erbium was produce only in 1934 by W. Klemm and H. Bommer by reducing its anhydrous chloride with vapor of potassium. Due its reactivity, it is not possible to find pure erbium in nature. Erbium is mostly contained in minerals like monazite, bastnasite, xenotime and euxenite. However, only xenotime and euxenite are the commercial sources of erbium which refined using ion-exchange technique. The abundance of erbium is estimated as 3 ppm by weight in Earth’s crust. The cost of erbium is $540 per 100g.
Applications:
Erbium is used in nuclear technology in neutron-absorbing rods
Erbium is used in erbium-vanadium alloy as lowering alloy’s hardness and improving its workability
Erbium’s oxide is used as colorant for porcelain, glass and cubic zirconia. The compound for glass is usually used in cheap jewelry and sunglasses
Erbium is used as one component of erbium-doped silica-glass fibers which are very active elements in erbium-doped fiber amplifiers. Also these fibers could be used to create fiber lasers
Erbium is used to make erbium-nickel alloy (Er3Ni) which has high specific heat capacity at liquid-helium temperatures. This alloy is used in cryocoolers
Erbium is used in medical lasers called yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) for procedure involving skin resurfacing. These lasers could be used to remove tattoos, moles and warts

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