{"id":80,"date":"2020-04-08T15:02:12","date_gmt":"2020-04-08T15:02:12","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/thechemicalelements.com\/?page_id=80"},"modified":"2023-08-16T10:00:24","modified_gmt":"2023-08-16T10:00:24","slug":"tantalum","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/thechemicalelements.com\/tantalum\/","title":{"rendered":"Tantalum (Ta)"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Tantalum is a chemical element with the atomic number 73 in the periodic table. Its occurrence in Earth\u2019s crust amounts to around 2 ppm. Being a member of the transition metals family of elements, this heavy metal has five valence electrons. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s often used for its strong anti-corrosive and high thermal resistance properties in medicine, as well as in the chemical industry. Today, tantalum\u2019s most popular application is in the production of tantalum capacitors for portable electronic equipment, such as mobile phones, DVD players, and computers.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Chemical and Physical Properties of Tantalum<\/span><\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Property<\/strong><\/td>Value<\/strong><\/td><\/tr>
The symbol in the periodic table of elements<\/td>Ta<\/td><\/tr>
Atomic number<\/td>73<\/td><\/tr>
Atomic weight (mass)<\/td>180.95 g.mol-1<\/td><\/tr>
Group number<\/td>(Transition metals)<\/td><\/tr>
Period<\/td>6 (d-block)<\/td><\/tr>
Color<\/td>A greyish-blue metal with silver luster<\/td><\/tr>
Physical state<\/td>Solid at room temperature<\/td><\/tr>
Half-life<\/td> – <\/td><\/tr>
Electronegativity according to Pauling<\/td>1.5<\/td><\/tr>
Density<\/td>16.69 g.cm-3 at 20\u00b0C<\/td><\/tr>
Melting point<\/td>3017\u00b0C, 5463\u00b0F, 3290 K<\/td><\/tr>
Boiling point<\/td>5455\u00b0C, 9851\u00b0F, 5728 K<\/td><\/tr>
Van der Waals radius<\/td>0.1425 nm<\/td><\/tr>
Ionic radius<\/td>0.070 nm (+5)<\/td><\/tr>
Isotopes<\/td>35<\/td><\/tr>
Most characteristic isotope<\/td> – <\/td><\/tr>
Electronic shell<\/td>[Xe] 4f145d36s2<\/td><\/tr>
The energy of the first ionization<\/td> – <\/td><\/tr>
The energy of the second ionization<\/td> – <\/td><\/tr>
Discovery date<\/td>In 1802 by Anders Gustaf Ekenberg<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

With the periodic table symbol Ta, atomic number 73, atomic mass of 180.95 g.mol<\/span>-1<\/span>, and electron configuration<\/span> [Xe] 4f<\/span>14<\/span>5d<\/span>3<\/span>6s<\/span>2<\/span>, tantalum is a hard, ductile, and dense greyish-blue heavy metal with a silver luster. It reaches its boiling point at 5455\u00b0C, 9851\u00b0F, 5728 K, while the melting point is achieved at 3017\u00b0C, 5463\u00b0F, 3290 K. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tantalum is a member of the transition metals family of elements in the periodic table and has an electronegativity of 1.5 according to Pauling, whereas the atomic radius according to van der Waals is 0.1425 nm.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

This transition metal has a body-centered cubic structure. When exposed to temperatures lower than 150\u00b0C, element 73 can resist almost any chemical attack. Tantalum is attacked only by hydrofluoric acid, acidic solutions containing the fluoride ion, and free sulfur<\/a> trioxide.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tantalum also has excellent anti-corrosive properties and forms a protective oxide film (Ta2O5) on its surface. In addition, this chemical element is also characterized by good electrical and heat conductivity.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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How Was Tantalum Discovered?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

While conducting chemical analysis of the mineral samples tantalite (obtained from Finland) and yttrotantalite (obtained from Sweden), the Swedish analytical chemist  Anders Gustaf Ekenberg (1767 \u2013 1813) was convinced that he had succeeded in discovering element 67 of the periodic table. He published his scientific evidence in 1802.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

But, the English chemist William Hyde Wollaston didn\u2019t agree with Ekenberg\u2019s findings. He believed that the new element is actually niobium<\/a>, not tantalum. Being a respected scientist, his opinion influenced the entire scientific community. However, Wollaston\u2019s claims turned out to be erroneous due to the fact that tantalum and niobium are extremely hard to separate from one another. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

In 1846 the German mineralogist Heinrich Rose (1795 \u2013 1864) succeeded in distinguishing niobium and tantalum as two separate chemical elements, thus rejecting the long-held theory in the scientific circles that tantalum and niobium were identical elements.<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Finally, in 1844 the Swiss chemist Jean Charles Galissard de Marignac confirmed Rose\u2019s findings and isolated tantalum and niobium as two distinct elements. In this way, de Marignac brought the Swedish analytical chemist Anders Ekeberg the well-deserved acknowledgment as the first chemist to discover element 67. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Pure tantalum was produced in 1903 by the German chemist and materials scientist Werner von Bolton (1868 \u2013 1912).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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How Did Tantalum Get Its Name?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The name of this chemical element comes from the Greek mythological character King Tantalus (or Tantalos). According to Greek mythology, King Tantalus had a daughter named Niobe. <\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Since element 67 and element 41 are difficult to be separated from each other in mineral ore, these two elements were associated with the mythological father-daughter relationship and got the names tantalum (after Tantalus) and niobium (after Niobe).\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Where Can You Find Tantalum?<\/span><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Tantalum mostly occurs in the minerals coltan and columbite-tantalite. Tantalite ores also contain minerals and metals such as samarskite, niobium, manganese<\/a>, and iron<\/a>. The extensive list of tantalum-rich minerals also includes:<\/span><\/p>\n\n\n\n