Niobium (Nb)

Niobium is a light grey, crystalline, and ductile transition metal used in superconducting materials.

Core Principles & Analysis

• Charles Hatchett discovered niobium in 1801 in a mineral from Connecticut and originally named it columbium.
• It has the highest superconducting critical temperature of any element at ambient pressure, about 9.2 K.
• Niobium-titanium alloy wires form the superconducting magnets in MRI scanners and the Large Hadron Collider.

Specifications & Metrics

• NUM: 41
• SYMBOL: Nb
• CATEGORY: Transition Metal