Yttrium 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.
Yttrium has the highest thermo-dynamic affinity for oxygen of any element. This characteristic is the basis for many of its applications. While not part of the rare earth series, it resembles the heavy rare earths which are sometimes referred to as the “yttrics” for this reason. Another unique characteristic derives from its ability to form crystals with useful properties. Yttrium 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 florescent lighting phosphors, computer displays and automotive fuel consumption sensors.Yttria stabilized zirconium oxide are used in high temperature applications, such as in thermal plasma sprays to protect aerospace high temperature surfaces and as an electrolyte in solid oxide fuel cells. Crystals of the yttrium-iron-garnet (YIG) variety are essential to microwave communication equipment. The phosphor Eu:Y2O2S creates the red color in televisions. Crystals of the yttrium-aluminum-garnet (YAG) variety are utilized with neodymium in a number of laser applications. Yttria can also increase the strength of metallic alloys.
Yttrium 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. Yttrium is available in soluble forms including chlorides, nitrates and acetates. These compounds are also manufactured as solutions at specified stoichiometries.
Yttrium is a Block D, Group 3, Period 5 element. The number of electrons in each of Yttrium's shells is 2, 8, 18, 9, 2 and its electronic configuration is [Kr] 4d1 5s2. In its elemental form yttrium's CAS number is 7440-65-5. The yttrium atom has a radius of 177.6.pm and it's Van der Waals radius is 200.pm. Insoluble compounds of Yttrium are non-toxic, although water soluble compounds are somewhat 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 Yttrium 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.
Yttrium was first discovered by Johann Gadolin in 1794. The name Yttrium originated from a Swedish village near Vaxholm called Yttbery where Yttrium was discovered.
Yttrium |
Yttrium |
ittrio |
Itrio |
Ytrio |
Yttrium |
Abundance. The following table shows the abundance of yttrium and each of its naturally occurring isotopes on Earth along with the atomic mass for each isotope.
| Isotope |
Atomic Mass |
% Abundance on Earth |
| Y-89 |
88.905848 |
100 |
The following table shows the abundance of Yttrium 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 |
no data |
7 ppb |
| by Atom |
no data |
0.1 ppb |
Safety Data and Biological Role. The safety data for yttrium 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. Yttrium compounds have no biological role.
Ionization Energy. The ionization energy for yttrium (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 |
599.86 kJ mol-1 |
| 2nd Ionization Energy |
1180.99 kJ mol-1 |
| 3rd Ionization Energy |
1979.89 kJ mol-1 |
Conductivity. As to yttrium's electrical and thermal conductivity, the electrical conductivity measured as to electrical resistivity @ 20 ºC is 57 μΩcm and its electronegativities (or its ability to draw electrons relative to other elements) is 1.22. The thermal conductivity of yttrium is 17.2 W m -1 K -1.
Thermal Properties. The melting point and boiling point for yttrium are stated below. The following chart sets forth the heat of fusion, heat of vaporization and heat of atomization.
| Heat of Fusion |
17.2 kJ mol-1 |
| Heat of Vaporization |
367.4 kJ mol-1 |
| Heat of Atomization |
420.45 kJ mol-1 |
Recent Research & Development for Yttrium
- Low-Fluence Q-Switched 1,064-nm Neodymium-Doped Yttrium Aluminum Garnet Laser for the Treatment of Facial Partial Unilateral Lentiginosis in Koreans.
Lee Y, Choi EH, Lee SW.
Dermatol Surg. 2011 Sep 7. doi: 10.1111/j.1524-4725.2011.02147.x. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID:
22093176
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
- Successful Treatment of Cosmetic Mucosal Tattoos Via Q-Switched Laser.
Kirby W, Chen C, Desai A, Desai T.
Dermatol Surg. 2011 Aug 23. doi: 10.1111/j.1524-4725.2011.02135.x. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID:
22093036
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
- Letter: successful treatment of multiple miliary osteomas of the face using an erbium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet laser.
Ortiz AE, Ross EV.
Dermatol Surg. 2011 Oct;37(10):1548-50. doi: 10.1111/j.1524-4725.2011.02112.x.
PMID:
22092945
[PubMed - in process]
- Commentary on Treatment of Acne Scars in Asian Patients using a 2,790-nm Fractional Yttrium Scandium Gallium Garnet Laser.
Perez M.
Dermatol Surg. 2011 Oct;37(10):1470-2. doi: 10.1111/j.1524-4725.2011.02116.x. No abstract available.
PMID:
22092942
[PubMed - in process]
- Fractional Thermoablation Using an Erbium-Doped Yttrium Aluminum Garnet Fractionated Laser for the Treatment of Pulsed Dye Laser-Resistant Port Wine Stain Birthmarks.
Toren KL, Marquart JD.
Dermatol Surg. 2011 Sep 14. doi: 10.1111/j.1524-4725.2011.02160.x. [Epub ahead of print] No abstract available.
PMID:
22092921
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
- The effect of erbium-doped: yttrium, aluminium and garnet laser irradiation on the surface microstructure and roughness of double acid-etched implants.
Kim JH, Herr Y, Chung JH, Shin SI, Kwon YH.
J Periodontal Implant Sci. 2011 Oct;41(5):234-41. Epub 2011 Oct 31.
PMID:
22087414
[PubMed - in process]
- 120-W 2-µm THULIUM:YTTRIUM-ALUMINIUM-GARNET VAPOENUCLEATION OF THE PROSTATE: 12-MONTH FOLLOW-UP.
Muir G.
BJU Int. 2011 Nov 15. doi: 10.1111/j.1464-410X.2011.10816.x. [Epub ahead of print] No abstract available.
PMID:
22085314
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
- 120-W 2-µm thulium:yttrium-aluminium-garnet vapoenucleation of the prostate: 12-month follow-up.
Netsch C, Pohlmann L, Herrmann TR, Gross AJ, Bach T.
BJU Int. 2011 Nov 15. doi: 10.1111/j.1464-410X.2011.10767.x. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID:
22085294
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
- An Unusual Organoyttrium Alkyl Complex Containing a [C(5) HMe(3) (?(3) -CH(2) )-C(5) H(4) N-?](-) Ligand and an Elusive Cyclopentadienide-Based Scandium Tuck-Over Zwitterion Obtained by C?H Bond Activation.
Jian Z, Cui D.
Chemistry. 2011 Nov 14. doi: 10.1002/chem.201102378. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID:
22083978
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
- Radioembolization versus Standard Care of Hepatic Metastases: Comparative Retrospective Cohort Study of Survival Outcomes and Adverse Events in Salvage Patients.
Bester L, Meteling B, Pocock N, Pavlakis N, Chua TC, Saxena A, Morris DL.
J Vasc Interv Radiol. 2011 Nov 11. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID:
22079516
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
- Quantitative evaluation of scintillation camera imaging characteristics of isotopes used in liver radioembolization.
Elschot M, Nijsen JF, Dam AJ, de Jong HW.
PLoS One. 2011;6(11):e26174. Epub 2011 Nov 3.
PMID:
22073149
[PubMed - in process]
- Lasers or light sources for treating port-wine stains.
Faurschou A, Olesen AB, Leonardi-Bee J, Haedersdal M.
Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2011 Nov 9;11:CD007152.
PMID:
22071834
[PubMed - in process]
- Treating and Downstaging Hepatocellular Carcinoma in the Caudate Lobe with Yttrium-90 Radioembolization.
Ibrahim SM, Kulik L, Baker T, Ryu RK, Mulcahy MF, Abecassis M, Salem R, Lewandowski RJ.
Cardiovasc Intervent Radiol. 2011 Nov 9. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID:
22069121
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
- catena-Poly[[tetra-kis-(hexa-methyl-phospho-ramide-?O)bis-(nitrato-?O,O')yttrium(III)] [silver(I)-di-µ-sulfido-molybdenum(VI)-di-µ-sulfido]].
Zhang J.
Acta Crystallogr E Struct Rep Online. 2011 Sep 1;67(Pt 9):m1206-7. Epub 2011 Aug 6.
PMID:
22065643
[PubMed]
- Yttrium-90 Time-of-Flight PET/CT Is Superior to Bremsstrahlung SPECT/CT for Postradioembolization Imaging of Microsphere Biodistribution.
Kao YH, Tan EH, Ng CE, Goh SW.
Clin Nucl Med. 2011 Dec;36(12):e186-7.
PMID:
22064104
[PubMed - in process]
- End-functionalized Polymerization of 2-Vinylpyridine through Initial C-H Bond Activation of N-Heteroaromatics and Internal Alkynes by Yttrium Ene-diamido Complexes.
Kaneko H, Nagae H, Tsurugi H, Mashima K.
J Am Chem Soc. 2011 Nov 7. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID:
22059504
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
- Catalytic, Enantioselective Intramolecular Hydroamination of Primary Amines Tethered to Di- and Tri-substituted Alkenes.
Chapurina Y, Ibrahim H, Guillot R, Kolodziej E, Collin J, Trifonov A, Schulz E, Hannedouche J.
J Org Chem. 2011 Nov 7. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID:
22059438
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
- Size effect of endohedral cluster on fullerene cage: Preparation and structural studies of Y(3)N@C(78)-C(2).
Ma Y, Wang T, Wu J, Feng Y, Xu W, Jiang L, Zheng J, Shu C, Wang C.
Nanoscale. 2011 Nov 7. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID:
22057827
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
- MDCT Necrosis Quantification in the Assessment of Hepatocellular Carcinoma Response to Yttrium 90 Radioembolization Therapy: Comparison of Two-dimensional and Volumetric Techniques.
Galizia MS, Töre HG, Chalian H, McCarthy R, Salem R, Yaghmai V.
Acad Radiol. 2011 Nov 2. [Epub ahead of print]
PMID:
22054801
[PubMed - as supplied by publisher]
- Q-switched laser treatment of amiodarone pigmentation.
Bernstein EF.
J Drugs Dermatol. 2011 Nov 1;10(11):1316-9.
PMID:
22052315
[PubMed - in process]
|