vanadium

Vanadium is a chemical element with the symbol V and atomic number 23. It is a hard, silvery-gray transition metal known for forming strong, lightweight alloys. Vanadium exhibits multiple oxidation states, which makes its compounds useful in catalysis and materials science. It has a high melting point and good resistance to corrosion in some environments.

Historically, vanadium was first described in 1801 by the Mexican chemist Andrés Manuel del Río, who identified a new oxide in ore from Mexico. In 1830, Swedish chemist Nils Gabriel Sefström rediscovered the element and named it vanadium after Vanadis, a goddess in Norse mythology, in reference to the colorful compounds. Vanadium occurs in several minerals, including vanadinite and carnotite, and is often obtained from iron- or uranium-bearing ore concentrates. The main industrial source is vanadium pentoxide (V2O5), produced through processing of these concentrates.

Uses and applications include its principal role as an alloying element in steel and other alloys to improve strength, hardness, and fatigue resistance. Vanadium pentoxide is a catalyst in the production of sulfuric acid and in other chemical processes. Vanadium compounds are used in pigments and catalysts, and vanadium redox flow batteries are studied for large-scale energy storage due to their ability to store and release energy in different oxidation states.

Safety and biology: vanadium and its compounds can be toxic, particularly in inhaled forms, and exposure is subject to regulation. Some microorganisms use vanadium in enzymes, such as vanadium-containing nitrogenases, but there is no proven essential role for vanadium in human nutrition.

Isotopes: natural vanadium consists of a single stable isotope, 51V, with several radioactive isotopes having short half-lives. The element has an atomic weight of about 50.94.