| Cobalt 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.
 Cobalt has a metallic permeability two thirds that of iron. It exists as a mixture of two allotropes over a wide temperature range. The transformation is slow and accounts in part for the wide variation in the physical properties of cobalt. It is alloyed with iron, nickel and other metals to make Alnico, an alloy of unusual magnetic strength with many important uses. Samarium-cobalt is one of the highest strength magnet alloys known. Cobalt compounds produce a brilliant and permanent blue color in ceramic glazes, glass, pottery, tiles, and enamels. Co-60 is useful as a gamma ray source. Toxicity of cobalt and its compounds are mild by skin contact and moderate by ingestion. Cobalt is available as metal and compounds with purities from 99% to 99.999% (ACS grade to ultra-high purity); metals in the form of foil, sputtering target, and rod, and compounds as submicron and nanopowder.
Cobalt 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 including powders 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. Cobalt is available in soluble forms including chlorides, nitrates and acetates. These compounds are also manufactured as solutions at specified stoichiometries.
Cobalt is a Block D, Group 9, Period 4 element. The number of electrons in each of Cobalt's shells is 2, 8, 15, 2 and its electronic configuration is [Ar] 3d7 4s2. In its elemental form cobalt's CAS number is 7440-48-4. The cobalt atom has a radius of 125.3.pm and it's Van der Waals radius is 200.pm. Cobalt and its compounds are somewhat toxic by skin contact and moderately toxic by inhalation.
 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 Cobalt 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.
Cobalt is found in cobaltite, erythrite, glaucodot and skutterudite ores. Cobalt is obtained as a by-product of nickel and copper mining. It is not found as a native metal. Cobalt was first discovered by George Brandt in 1737.
The origin of the word Cobalt comes from the German word 'Kobalt or Kobold' which translates as "goblin", "elf" or "evil spirit".
 Cobalt |
 Cobalt |
 cobalto |
 Cobalto |
 cobalto |
 Kobolt
|
Abundance. The following table shows the abundance of cobalt and each of its naturally occurring isotopes on Earth along with the atomic mass for each isotope.
| Isotope |
Atomic Mass |
% Abundance on Earth |
| Co-59 |
58.933200 |
100 |
The following table shows the abundance of Cobalt 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 |
20 ppb |
3000 ppb |
| by Atom |
2 ppb |
60 ppb |
Safety Data and Biological Role. The safety data for cobalt 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. Cobalt compounds have an important biological role in many life forms, including humans. Cobalt forms the core of vitamin B12.
Hardness. Cobalt is a hard, brittle metal measuring 5.5 on the Mohs Scale of mineral hardness.
Ionization Energy. The ionization energy for cobalt (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 |
760.41 kJ mol-1 |
| 2nd Ionization Energy |
1648.27 kJ mol-1 |
| 3rd Ionization Energy |
3232.28 kJ mol-1 |
Conductivity. As to cobalt's electrical and thermal conductivity, the electrical conductivity measured as to electrical resistivity @ 20 ºC is 6.24 μΩcm and its electronegativities (or its ability to draw electrons relative to other elements) is 1.88. The thermal conductivity of cobalt is 100 W m-1 K-1.
Thermal Properties. The melting point and boiling point for cobalt are stated below. The following chart sets forth the heat of fusion, heat of vaporization and heat of atomization.
| Heat of Fusion |
15.2 kJ mol-1 |
| Heat of Vaporization |
382.4 kJ mol-1 |
| Heat of Atomization |
423.082 kJ mol-1 |
Recent Research & Development for CobaltTetra-kis(3-cyano-pyridine-?N)bis-(thio-cyanato-?N)cobalt(II) 1,4-dioxane disolvate.
Diehr S, Wöhlert S, Boeckmann J, Näther C.
Acta Crystallogr Sect E Struct Rep Online. 2011 Dec 1;67(Pt 12):m1898. Epub 2011 Nov 30.
PMID:
22199656
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Bis(2,4-dioxo-5,5-diphenyl-imidazol-idin-ido-?N)bis-(propane-1,3-diamine-?N,N')cobalt(II).
Hu X, Jiang Q, Wang D, Liu H.
Acta Crystallogr Sect E Struct Rep Online. 2011 Dec 1;67(Pt 12):m1885. Epub 2011 Nov 30.
PMID:
22199646
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Poly[aqua-{µ(3)-5-[(pyridin-2-ylmeth-yl)amino]-isophthalato-?N,N':O,O:O}cobalt(II)].
Zhu XH, Cheng XC.
Acta Crystallogr Sect E Struct Rep Online. 2011 Dec 1;67(Pt 12):m1862. Epub 2011 Nov 30.
PMID:
22199630
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
catena-Poly[[[cis-aqua-dibromido-cobalt(II)]-µ-(pyrazine-2-carb-oxy-lic acid)-?N,O:N] monohydrate].
Dares C, Fournier R, Lever AB.
Acta Crystallogr Sect E Struct Rep Online. 2011 Dec 1;67(Pt 12):m1798-m1799. Epub 2011 Nov 23.
PMID:
22199583
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Poly[di-µ(2)-aqua-µ(5)-(pyridine-2,6-dicarboxyl-ato)-µ(3)-(pyridine-2,6-dicarboxyl-ato)-cobalt(II)disodium].
Boyko AN, Golenya IA, Izotova YA, Haukka M, Prisyazhnaya EV.
Acta Crystallogr Sect E Struct Rep Online. 2011 Dec 1;67(Pt 12):m1782-m1783. Epub 2011 Nov 19.
PMID:
22199572
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Diaqua-bis-(pyridine-2-sulfonato-?N,O)cobalt(II).
Li ZS, Ng SW.
Acta Crystallogr Sect E Struct Rep Online. 2011 Dec 1;67(Pt 12):m1781. Epub 2011 Nov 19.
PMID:
22199571
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Bis[tris-(ethyl-enediamine-?N,N')cobalt(III)] octa-kis-µ-(3)-oxido-hexa-deca-µ(2)-oxido-tetra-deca-oxido-µ(12)-tetra-oxo-silicato-octa-molybdenum(VI)hexa-vanadium(IV,V) hexa-hydrate.
Lu YK, Tian MM, Xu SG, Lü RQ, Liu YQ.
Acta Crystallogr Sect E Struct Rep Online. 2011 Dec 1;67(Pt 12):m1776-m1777. Epub 2011 Nov 19.
PMID:
22199568
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Tetra-aqua-bis-(2-{[5-(pyridin-4-yl)-1,3,4-oxadiazol-2-yl]sulfan-yl}acetato)-cobalt(II) monohydrate.
Yang GR, Li GT.
Acta Crystallogr Sect E Struct Rep Online. 2011 Dec 1;67(Pt 12):m1746-m1747. Epub 2011 Nov 12.
PMID:
22199545
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Tetra-aqua-bis-[3-(pyridin-4-yl)benzoato-?N]cobalt(II).
Wang HR, Li GT.
Acta Crystallogr Sect E Struct Rep Online. 2011 Dec 1;67(Pt 12):m1743. Epub 2011 Nov 12.
PMID:
22199542
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Poly[[tetra-aqua-(µ(4)-imidazole-4,5-dicarboxyl-ato)(µ(3)-imidazole-4,5-dicarboxyl-ato)-µ(3)-sulfato-µ(2)-sulfato-cobalt(II)digadolinium(III)] monohydrate].
Zhu LC.
Acta Crystallogr Sect E Struct Rep Online. 2011 Dec 1;67(Pt 12):m1741-m1742. Epub 2011 Nov 12.
PMID:
22199541
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Hexaaqua-cobalt(II) bis-(5-acetyl-2-hy-droxy-benzoate) dihydrate.
Han LJ, Yang SP, Fu LL, Gao HL.
Acta Crystallogr Sect E Struct Rep Online. 2011 Dec 1;67(Pt 12):m1733. Epub 2011 Nov 9.
PMID:
22199535
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Dichlorido[(4E,11E)-5,7,12,14-tetra-benzyl-7,14-dimethyl-1,4,8,11-tetra-aza-cyclo-tetra-deca-4,11-diene]cobalt(III) perchlorate.
Roy TG, Hazari SK, Barua KK, Ng SW, Tiekink ER.
Acta Crystallogr Sect E Struct Rep Online. 2011 Dec 1;67(Pt 12):m1722-m1723. Epub 2011 Nov 9.
PMID:
22199529
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
{1,2-Bis[(3,5-dimethyl-1H-pyrazol-1-yl-?N)meth-yl]benzene}-dichloridozinc(II).
Guzei IA, Spencer LC, Budhai A, Darkwa J.
Acta Crystallogr Sect E Struct Rep Online. 2011 Dec 1;67(Pt 12):m1715-m1716. Epub 2011 Nov 9.
PMID:
22199525
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
catena-Poly[[bis-(2,4-dichloro-benzoato)bis-(methanol-?O)cobalt(II)]-µ-4,4'-bipyridine-?N:N'].
Hyun MY, Kim PG, Kim C, Kim Y.
Acta Crystallogr Sect E Struct Rep Online. 2011 Dec 1;67(Pt 12):m1705. Epub 2011 Nov 9.
PMID:
22199519
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Bis(pentane-2,4-dionato-?O,O')(1,10-phenanthroline-?N,N')cobalt(II).
Perdih F.
Acta Crystallogr Sect E Struct Rep Online. 2011 Dec 1;67(Pt 12):m1697. Epub 2011 Nov 5.
PMID:
22199513
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Diaqua-bis-(dihydrogen 3-aza-niumyl-1-hy-droxy-propyl-idene-1,1-di-phos-phon-ato-?O,O')cobalt(II).
Tsaryk NV, Dudko AV, Kozachkova AN, Pekhnyo VI.
Acta Crystallogr Sect E Struct Rep Online. 2011 Dec 1;67(Pt 12):m1694. Epub 2011 Nov 5.
PMID:
22199511
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Tetra-aqua-bis-{3-carb-oxy-5-[(4-carb-oxy-phen-yl)diazen-yl]benzoato-?O}cobalt(II) dihydrate.
Bai L, Zhao J.
Acta Crystallogr Sect E Struct Rep Online. 2011 Dec 1;67(Pt 12):m1689. Epub 2011 Nov 5.
PMID:
22199506
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Tetra-aqua-bis-(2-methyl-1H-imidazole-?N)cobalt(II) naphthalene-1,5-disulfonate.
Jin Y.
Acta Crystallogr Sect E Struct Rep Online. 2011 Dec 1;67(Pt 12):m1686. Epub 2011 Nov 5.
PMID:
22199503
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Diaqua-bis-(dimethyl sulfoxide-?O)bis(saccharinato-?N)cobalt(II).
Potwana FS, Van Zyl WE.
Acta Crystallogr Sect E Struct Rep Online. 2011 Dec 1;67(Pt 12):m1667-m1668. Epub 2011 Nov 5.
PMID:
22199492
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
Pulmonary toxicity after exposure to military-relevant heavy metal tungsten alloy particles.
Roedel EQ, Cafasso DE, Lee KW, Pierce LM.
Toxicol Appl Pharmacol. 2011 Dec 16. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID:
22198552
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher] |
