Elemental metallic 1 cm elemental cubes These highly polished cubes are great educational tools Each Niobium cube is solid and of high purity of 99.9%, highly polished by hand for many hours to reach a mirror finish, and laser engraved with its periodic info. This is an heirloom piece that will last forever. Niobium, also known as columbium, is a chemical element with the symbol Nb (formerly Cb) and atomic number 41. Here are some interesting facts: It was discovered by Charles Hatchett in 1801. It is a light grey, crystalline, and ductile transition metal. Pure niobium has a Mohs hardness rating similar to that of pure titanium, and it has similar ductility to iron. Its name comes from Greek mythology, specifically Niobe, who was the daughter of Tantalus, the namesake of tantalum. The name reflects the great similarity between the two elements in their physical and chemical properties, making them difficult to distinguish. Niobium and tantalum are nearly always found together in nature, according to the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS). They are interesting "indispensable twins". It was not until the early 20th century that niobium was first used commercially. Brazil is the leading producer of niobium and ferroniobium, an alloy of 60–70% niobium with iron. It is used in various superconducting materials, welding, nuclear industries, electronics, optics, numismatics, and jewelry. It is physiologically inert and hypoallergenic, used in prosthetic and implant devices, such as pacemakers. Specifications Size: 10x10x10mm Weight: 8.57g Sample Purity: 99.9% Surface: Mirror Finish Polar Metals seeks to spice up your life with interesting and unusual metals in unexpected ways. The elements on the periodic table are everywhere, in fact, they make up everything! So far, we have brought 29 Elements to you: Silver, Silicon, Germanium, Nickel, Chromium, Zinc, Niobium, Tantalum, Hafnium, Rhenium, Thulium, Lutetium, Scandium, Ruthenium, Platinum, Palladium, Gold, Iridium, Osmium, Titanium, Cobalt, Magnesium, Zirconium, Molybdenum, Copper, Aluminum, Carbon, Iron and Tungsten. *Note: Please wear gloves when handling.
