Niobite is an oxide mineral of iron, manganese, and niobium, in which niobium atoms are often replaced by tantalum atoms, thus forming tantalum. Niobite is hard and black or brown. Their crystals are plate - or columnar in shape, and come together to form clumps with a semi-metallic luster. Niobite is an important mineral for extracting niobium and tantalum. It is mainly produced in granite and pegmatite.
1. Niobium is a kind of plastic metal, gray, with body-centered cubic structure, and its density is 8.57g/cm. Niobium forms the compound Fe3Nb2 with iron, which dissolves in large amounts of iron. The melting temperature of iron niobium is close to 1600 degrees (1570-1650 degrees).
2. Niobium forms NbC with carbon, its melting temperature is 3500 ~ 3800 degrees, its hardness is 9 ~ 10Mohs, excellent properties is a good additive for making alloy tool steel.
3. Application of niobium in amorphous industry, magnetic source metal.
4. The application of niobium in permanent magnet materials: the filling of niobium improves the crystal structure of ndfeb material, refines the grain structure and improves the coercivity of the material; It plays a unique role in the oxidation resistance of the material. Magnetic source metal.
5. Production process of iron niobium: the production process usually adopts thermite reduction method: raw ore - sintering - inspection - purification - inspection - grinding - packaging - inspection - storage. Molecular formula: 3Nb2O5+10Al=6Nb+5Al2O3
Niobium has a very low cross section for thermal neutrons and is therefore useful in the nuclear industry. Tantalum can be used in the manufacture of evaporative vessels, as well as electronic tube electrodes, rectifiers, electrolytic capacitors. Used in medicine to make thin sheets or thin threads to repair damaged tissue. Tantalum niobium ore is the general name of tantalum and niobium minerals. Used for preparation of tantalum oxide and oxidation.
C-103 is a niobium alloy that contains 89% niobium, 10% hafnium and 1% titanium and can be used in liquid rocket thruster nosepipes, such as the main engine of the Apollo lunar module. The Apollo service module used another niobium alloy. Since niobium begins to oxidize above 400°C, a protective coating must be applied to prevent it from becoming brittle.
Niobium can be used to repair skull damage, niobium can be used to suture nerves and tendons, niobium strips can be used to replace broken bones and joints, and niobium yarn or net made of niobium silk can be used to compensate muscle tissue.
