Terbium

Chemical element symbol is (Tb) and atomic number 65.

Terbium is a Rare Earth Metal classified in the group of Heavy Rare Earth Elements (HREE).

Its name derives from the village of Yiterby, near Stockholm in Sweden was extracted gadolinite. Carl Gustaf Mosander identified terbium in 1843 in gadolinite simultaneously with Ytterbium and erbium. However, his name has been set in 1877 after several confusions. Production of pure Terbium did not begin with the appearance of the ion exchange technique after 1945.

Terbium is a rare silvery-gray metal of land that is both malleable and ductile. Terbium does not tarnish rapidly in air and is flexible enough to be cut with a knife. But in the open air, itis relatively stable.

Inits oxide form, heavy and soft metal is a dark brown powder. Terbium and its chemical components are toxic, metal dustis flammable and explosive. With zircon dioxide, itis used in high-tech sectors as a stabilizer of cell high temperature fuel cell. Furthermore, the oxide is used for the green luminescence substance in the cathode ray tubes and fluorescent lamps.

Like all other Rare Earths, holmium is not naturally found as a free element in the Earthly crust. Itis constituted only in combination with other elements, gadolinite, monazite and other Rare Earth minerals.