Bismuth information, including Technical Data, Safety Data and its High Purity properties, research, applications and other useful facts are discussed below. Scientific facts such as the atomic structure, ionization energy, abundance on Earth, conductivity and thermal properties are included.
 Bismuth is the most diamagnetic of all metals, and the thermal conductivity is lower than any metal, except mercury . It has a high electrical resistance, and has the highest Hall Effect of any metal (i.e., greatest increase in electrical resistance when placed in a magnetic field). Bismuth expands on solidification. This property makes bismuth alloys particularly suited to the making of sharp castings of objects subject to damage by high temperatures. With other metals such as tin, cadmium , etc., bismuth forms low-melting alloys which are extensively used for safety devices in fire detection and extinguishing systems. Bismuth is used in producing malleable irons and is finding use as a catalyst for making acrylic fibers. When bismuth is heated in air it burns with a blue flame, forming yellow fumes of the oxide. The metal is also used as a thermocoupling material, and has found application as a carrier for 235 U or 233 U fuel in nuclear reactors. Its soluble salts are characterized by forming unsoluble basic salts on the addition of water, a property sometimes used in detection work. Bismuth oxychloride is used extensively in cosmetics. Bismuth nitrate and carbonate are used in medicine. Bismuth is available as metal and compounds with purities from 99% to 99.9999% (ACS grade to ultra-high purity); metals in the form of foil, sputtering target, and rod, and compounds as submicron and nanopowder.
Bismuth is also used in various metal alloys (See AE Alloys).
Bismuth facts, including appearance, CAS #, and molecular formula and safety data, research and properties are
available for many specific states, forms and shapes on the product pages listed to the left. Elemental or metallic forms include pellets, rod, wire and granules for evaporation source material purposes. Nanoparticles and nanopowders provide ultra high surface area which nanotechnology research and recent experiments demonstrate function to create new and unique properties and benefits.
Oxides are available in forms includingpowders and dense pellets for such uses as optical coating and thin film applications. Oxides tend to be insoluble.Fluorides are another insoluble form for uses in which oxygen is undesirable such as metallurgy, chemical and physical vapor  deposition and in some optical coatings. Bismuth is available in soluble forms including chlorides, nitrates and acetates. These compounds are also manufactured as solutions at specified stoichiometries.
Bismuth is a Block P, Group 15, Period 6 element. The number of electrons in each of Bismuth's shells is 2, 8, 18, 32, 18, 5 and its electronic configuration is [Xe] 4f14 5d10 6s2 6p3. In its elemental form bismuth's CAS number is 7440-69-9. The bismuth atom has a radius of 154.5.pm and it's Van der Waals radius is 200.pm. Bismuth is not toxic.
 All elemental metals, compounds and solutions may be synthesized in ultra high purity (e.g. 99.999%) for laboratory standards, advanced electronic, thin fillm deposition using sputtering targets and evaporation materials, metallurgy and optical materials and other high technology applications. Information is provided for stable (non-radioactive) isotopes. Organo-Metallic Bismuth compounds are soluble in organic or non-aqueous solvents. See Analytical Services for information on available certified chemical and physical analysis techniques including MS-ICP, X-Ray Diffraction, PSD and Surface Area (BET) analysis.
Bismuth was first discovered by Early Man.
The name Bismuth originates from the German word 'wissmuth' meaning white mass.
 Bismuth |
 Bismut |
 Bismuto |
 Bismuto |
 Bismuto |
 Vismut |
Abundance. The following table shows the abundance of bismuth and each of its naturally occurring isotopes on Earth along with the atomic mass for each isotope.
| Isotope |
Atomic Mass |
% Abundance on Earth |
| Bi-209 |
208.980383 |
100 |
The following table shows the abundance of Bismuth present in the human body and in the universe scaled to parts per billion (ppb) by weight and by atom:
| |
Typical Human Body |
Universe |
| by Weight |
300 ppb |
10 ppb |
| by Atom |
14 ppb |
0.09 ppb |
Safety Data and Biological Role. The safety data for bismuth metal, nanoparticles and its compounds can vary widely depending on the form. For potential hazard information, toxicity, and road, sea and air transportation limitations, such as DOT Hazard Class, DOT Number, EU Number, NFPA Health rating and RTECS Class, please see the specific material or compound referenced in the left margin. Bismuth compounds have no biological role. Bismuth has, however, been used in medications to treat stomach upset and, in combination with antibiotics, stomach ulcers. Bismuth compounds can also be found in creams used to treat hemorrhoids.
Ionization Energy. The ionization energy for bismuth (the least required energy to release a single electron from the atom in it's ground state in the gas phase) is stated in the following table:
| 1st Ionization Energy |
702.96 kJ mol-1 |
| 2nd Ionization Energy |
1610.35 kJ mol-1 |
| 3rd Ionization Energy |
2466.18 kJ mol-1 |
Conductivity. As to bismuth's electrical and thermal conductivity, the electrical conductivity measured as to electrical resistivity @ 20 ºC is 106.8 μΩcm and its electronegativities (or its ability to draw electrons relative to other elements) is 1.9. The thermal conductivity of bismuth is 7.87 W m-1 K-1.
Thermal Properties. The melting point and boiling point for bismuth are stated below. The following chart sets forth the heat of fusion, heat of vaporization and heat of atomization.
| Heat of Fusion |
10.48 kJ mol-1 |
| Heat of Vaporization |
179.1 kJ mol-1 |
| Heat of Atomization |
207.36 kJ mol-1 |
Recent Research & Development for BismuthHelicobacter pylori antibiotic resistance in Brazil: clarithromycin is still a good option.
Jaime Natan E, Silva FM, Barbuti RC, Navarro-Rodriguez T, Moraes-Filho JP, Pedrazzoli J Jr.
Arq Gastroenterol. 2011 Dec;48(4):261-4.
PMID:
22147131
[PubMed - in process]
Towards better photocatalysts: first-principles studies of the alloying effects on the photocatalytic activities of bismuth oxyhalides under visible light.
Zhang H, Liu L, Zhou Z.
Phys Chem Chem Phys. 2011 Dec 7. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID:
22146949
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
A stannum-bismuth composite film electrode for simultaneous determination of zinc(ii) and cadmium(ii) using differential pulse anodic stripping voltammetry.
Li NB, Zhu WW, Luo JH, Luo HQ.
Analyst. 2011 Dec 6. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID:
22145153
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Conductive scanning probe microscopy of nanostructured Bi(2)Te(3).
Souier T, Li G, Santos S, Stefancich M, Chiesa M.
Nanoscale. 2011 Dec 6. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID:
22143255
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Near-infrared ultrabroadband luminescence spectra properties of subvalent bismuth in CsI halide crystals.
Su L, Zhao H, Li H, Zheng L, Ren G, Xu J, Ryba-Romanowski W, Lisiecki R, Solarz P.
Opt Lett. 2011 Dec 1;36(23):4551-3. doi: 10.1364/OL.36.004551.
PMID:
22139239
[PubMed - in process]
Bismuth Shields for CT Dose Reduction: Do They Help or Hurt?
McCollough CH, Wang J, Berland LL.
J Am Coll Radiol. 2011 Dec;8(12):878-9. No abstract available.
PMID:
22137008
[PubMed - in process]
Treatment and diagnostic accuracy of neurosyphilis at Boston City Hospital's Neurological Unit, 1930-1979.
Patterson D, Vilensky JA, Robertson WM, Berger J.
J Neurol Sci. 2011 Nov 29. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID:
22129939
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Three novel Bi(iii) complexes with in situ generated anilate ligands: unusual oxidation of cyclohexanedione to dihydroxy benzoquinone.
Gao H, Zhang XM.
Dalton Trans. 2011 Nov 29. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID:
22124341
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Microfabricated disposable lab-on-a-chip sensors with integrated bismuth microelectrode arrays for voltammetric determination of trace metals.
Kokkinos C, Economou A, Raptis I.
Anal Chim Acta. 2012 Jan 13;710:1-8. Epub 2011 Nov 3.
PMID:
22123106
[PubMed - in process]
Novel in situ N-Doped (BiO)2CO3 Hierarchical Microspheres Self-Assembled by Nanosheets as Efficient and Durable Visible Light Driven Photocatalyst.
Dong F, Sun Y, Fu M, Ho WK, Lee SC, Wu Z.
Langmuir. 2011 Nov 28. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID:
22122119
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
From {Bi(22) O(26) } to Chiral Ligand-Protected {Bi(38) O(45) }-Based Bismuth Oxido Clusters.
Mansfeld D, Miersch L, Rüffer T, Schaarschmidt D, Lang H, Böhle T, Troff RW, Schalley CA, Müller J, Mehring M.
Chemistry. 2011 Nov 25. doi: 10.1002/chem.201102437. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID:
22120957
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Status of development of gamma-ray detector response function code or GAMDRF.
Li F, Han X.
Appl Radiat Isot. 2011 Nov 18. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID:
22118837
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Metronidazole-based quadruple versus standard triple therapy: which is better as first-line therapy for Helicobacter pylori eradication?
Suzuki H, Matsuzaki J, Hibi T.
Expert Rev Clin Pharmacol. 2011 Sep;4(5):579-82.
PMID:
22114887
[PubMed - in process]
Characteristics of rational harmonic mode-locked short-cavity fiber ring laser using a bismuth-oxide-based erbium-doped fiber and a bismuth-oxide-based highly nonlinear fiber.
Fukuchi Y, Maeda J.
Opt Express. 2011 Nov 7;19(23):22502-9. doi: 10.1364/OE.19.022502.
PMID:
22109128
[PubMed - in process]
Fabrication and supercontinuum generation in dispersion flattened bismuth microstructured optical fiber.
Zhang WQ, Ebendorff-Heidepriem H, Monro TM, Afshar V S.
Opt Express. 2011 Oct 24;19(22):21135-44. doi: 10.1364/OE.19.021135.
PMID:
22108964
[PubMed - in process]
Structural motifs in phenylbismuth heterocyclic carboxylates - secondary interactions leading to oligomers.
Anjaneyulu O, Maddileti D, Kumara Swamy KC.
Dalton Trans. 2011 Nov 21. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID:
22105914
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Influences of Oxygen Pressure on Optical Properties and Interband Electronic Transitions in Multiferroic Bismuth Ferrite Nanocrystalline Films Grown by Pulsed Laser Deposition.
Jiang K, Zhu J, Wu J, Sun J, Hu Z, Chu J.
ACS Appl Mater Interfaces. 2011 Nov 21. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID:
22103473
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Hydride generation in-atomizer collection atomic absorption spectrometry for the determination of antimony in acetic acid leachates from pewter cups.
Dessuy MB, Kratzer J, Vale MG, Welz B, Dedina J.
Talanta. 2011 Dec 15;87:255-61. Epub 2011 Oct 17.
PMID:
22099676
[PubMed - in process]
Preparation and characterization of bismuth oxide nanoparticles-multiwalled carbon nanotube composite for the development of horseradish peroxidase based H(2)O(2) biosensor.
Periasamy AP, Yang S, Chen SM.
Talanta. 2011 Dec 15;87:15-23. Epub 2011 Oct 5.
PMID:
22099642
[PubMed - in process]
Etiopathogenetic principles and peptic ulcer disease classification.
Tytgat GN.
Dig Dis. 2011;29(5):454-8. Epub 2011 Nov 16.
PMID:
22095009
[PubMed - in process] |
