Bismuth: Jump To Navigation Jump To Search
Bismuth: Jump To Navigation Jump To Search
Bismuth: Jump To Navigation Jump To Search
Bismuth, Bi83
Bismuth
Pronunciation /ˈbɪzməθ/ (BIZ-məth)
Hy
dr
og
en
Lit Be
hi ryl
u liu
m m
So M
di ag
u ne
m siu
m
Po Ca Sc
tas lci an
siu um diu
m m
Ru Str Ytt
bi ont riu
di iu m
u m
m
Ca Ba La C Pra Ne Pr Sa Eu Ga Te Dy Ho Er Th Yt Lut
esi riu nther seo od om m ro dol rbi spr lmibi uli ter eti
u m an iu dy ym eth ari piuini u osi um u um bi um
m umm miu iu iu u m um m um m u
m m m m m
Fr Ra Ac T Pro Ur Ne Pl A Cu Be Ca Ei Fe Me N La
an diu tin hotact ani ptu ut me riu rk lif nst r nde ob wr
ciu m iu ri iniu um niu on ric m eli orn ein milevi eli enc
m m u m m iu iu u iu iu u um u iu
m m m m m m m m m
lead ← bismuth
Atomic number (Z) 83
Period period 6
Block p-block
Physical properties
Phase at STP solid
Density (near r.t.) 9.78 g/cm3
Vapor pressure
Atomic properties
(a mildly acidic oxide)
1st: 703 kJ/mol
Ionization energies
2nd: 1610 kJ/mol
3rd: 2466 kJ/mol
(more)
Other properties
History
1000)
Main isotopes of bismuth
Category: Bismuth
view
talk
edit
| references
Contents
1Main uses
2History
3Characteristics
o 3.1Physical characteristics
o 3.2Chemical characteristics
o 3.3Isotopes
4Chemical compounds
o 4.1Oxides and sulfides
o 4.2Bismuthine and bismuthides
o 4.3Halides
o 4.4Aqueous species
5Occurrence and production
o 5.1Price
o 5.2Recycling
6Applications
o 6.1Medicines
o 6.2Cosmetics and pigments
o 6.3Metal and alloys
6.3.1Lead replacement
6.3.2Other metal uses and specialty alloys
o 6.4Other uses as compounds
7Toxicology and ecotoxicology
8Bioremediation
9See also
10References
11Bibliography
12External links
Main uses[edit]
Bismuth compounds account for about half the production of bismuth. They are
used in cosmetics, pigments, and a few pharmaceuticals, notably bismuth
subsalicylate, used to treat diarrhea.[5] Bismuth's unusual propensity to expand as it
solidifies is responsible for some of its uses, such as in casting of printing type.
[5]
Bismuth has unusually low toxicity for a heavy metal.[5] As the toxicity of lead has
become more apparent in recent years, there is an increasing use of bismuth
alloys (presently about a third of bismuth production) as a replacement for lead.
History[edit]
Bismuth metal has been known since ancient times, although it was often confused
with lead and tin, which share some physical properties. The etymology is
uncertain, but possibly comes from Arabic bi ismid, meaning "having the properties
of antimony",[6] or from the German words weiße Masse or Wismuth ("white mass"),
translated in the mid-sixteenth century to New Latin bisemutum or bisemutium.[7][8][9]
The name bismuth dates from around the 1660s, and is of uncertain etymology. It
is one of the first 10 metals to have been discovered. Bismuth appears in the
1660s, from obsolete German Bismuth, Wismut, Wissmuth (early 16th century);
perhaps related to Old High German hwiz ("white").[7] The New
Latin bisemutium (due to Georgius Agricola, who Latinized many German mining
and technical words) is from the German Wismuth, perhaps from weiße Masse,
"white mass".[9] The element was confused in early times with tin and lead because
of its resemblance to those elements. Because Bismuth has been known since
ancient times, no one person is credited with its discovery. Agricola, in De Natura
Fossilium (c. 1546) states that bismuth is a distinct metal in a family of metals
including tin and lead. This was based on observation of the metals and their
physical properties.[10] Miners in the age of alchemy also gave bismuth the
name tectum argenti, or "silver being made," in the sense of silver still in the
process of being formed within the Earth.[11][12][13]
Beginning with Johann Heinrich Pott in 1738, [14] Carl Wilhelm Scheele and Torbern
Olof Bergman, the distinctness of lead and bismuth became clear, and Claude
François Geoffroy demonstrated in 1753 that this metal is distinct from lead and tin.
[12][15][16]
Bismuth was also known to the Incas and used (along with the usual copper
and tin) in a special bronze alloy for knives.[17]
Characteristics[edit]
Left: synthetic bismuth crystal exhibiting the stairstep crystal structure and iridescence colors, which are
produced by interference of light within the oxide film on its surface. Right: a 1 cm3 cube of unoxidised
bismuth metal
Physical characteristics[edit]
Chemical compounds[edit]
See also: Category:Bismuth compounds.
Bismuth forms trivalent and pentavalent compounds, the
trivalent ones being more common. Many of its chemical
properties are similar to those of arsenic and antimony,
although they are less toxic than derivatives of those
lighter elements.
Oxides and sulfides[edit]
At elevated temperatures, the vapors of the metal
combine rapidly with oxygen, forming the yellow
trioxide, Bi
2O
3BiO
8O
24−
24, whereas the anion in Na
3BiO
3 is tetrameric.
[42]
5, is unstable, liberating O
Bismuth sulfide, Bi
2S
5 and Bi
2Cl
2−
3Cl
6]
such as Bi2+
8, found in Bi
8(AlCl
4)
3, BiBr
3, and BiI
3 are hydrolyzed by water.
[42]
BiF
5 + XeF
4 → XeF
+
3BiF
−
Aqueous species[edit]
In aqueous solution, the Bi3+
ion is solvated to form the aqua ion Bi(H
2O)
3+
4(OH)
4]
6+
.[51]
Bismite mineral
In the Earth's crust, bismuth is about twice as
abundant as gold. The most important ores of bismuth
are bismuthinite and bismite.[15] Native bismuth is
known from Australia, Bolivia, and China. [52][53]
According to the United States Geological Survey, the
world mining production of bismuth in 2016 was
10,200 tonnes, with the major contributions from
China (7,400 tonnes), Vietnam (2,000 tonnes) and
Mexico (700 tonnes).[54] The refinery production in
2016 was 17,100 tonnes, of which China produced
11,000, Mexico 539 and Japan 428 tonnes. [55] The
difference reflects bismuth's status as a byproduct of
extraction of other metals such as lead, copper, tin,
molybdenum and tungsten.[56] World bismuth
production from refineries is a more complete and
reliable statistic.[57][58][59]
Bismuth travels in crude lead bullion (which can
contain up to 10% bismuth) through several stages of
refining, until it is removed by the Kroll-Betterton
process which separates the impurities as slag, or the
electrolytic Betts process. Bismuth will behave
similarly with another of its major metals, copper.
[57]
The raw bismuth metal from both processes
contains still considerable amounts of other metals,
foremost lead. By reacting the molten mixture with
chlorine gas the metals are converted to their
chlorides while bismuth remains unchanged.
Impurities can also be removed by various other
methods for example with fluxes and treatments
yielding high-purity bismuth metal (over 99% Bi).
Price[edit]
Applications[edit]
Bioremediation[edit]
The fungus Marasmius oreades can be used for
the biological remediation of bismuth in polluted
soils.[98]