Chemical Fact Sheet
Bismuth
| Chemical Abstract Number (CAS #) | 7440-69-9 |
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| Synonyms | BISMUTH-209 |
| Analytical Methods | 200.7 - 200.8 - 6010 - 6020 - SM3500Bi |
| Molecular Formula | Bi |
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Synopsis
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Bismuth - (Ger. Weisse Masse, white mass; later Wisuth and Bisemutum), Bi; at. wt. 208.98037(3); at. no. 83; m.p. 271.4 deg C; b.p. 1564 +/- 5 deg C; sp. gr. 9.747 (20 deg C); valence 3 or 5. In early times bismuth was confused with tin and lead. Claude Geoffroy the Younger showed it to be distinct from lead in 1753. It is a white crystalline, brittle metal with a pinkish tinge. It occurs native. The most important ores are bismuthinite or or bismuth glance (Bi2S3) and bismite (Bi2O3). Peru, Japan, Mexico, Bolivia, and Canada are major bismuth producers. Much of the bismuth produced in the U.S. is.obtained as a by-product in refining lead, copper, tin, silver, and gold ores. 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). "Bismanol" is a permanent magnet of high coercive force, made of MnBi, by the U.S. Naval Surface Weapons Center. Bismuth expands 3.32% 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 thermocouple material, and has found application as a carrier for U235 or U233 fuel in atomic reactors. Its soluble salts are characterized by forming insoluble basic salts on the addition of water, a property sometimes used in detection work. Bismuth oxychloride is used extensively in cosmetics. Bismuth subnitrate and subcarbonate are used in medicine. Natural bismuth contains only one isotope 209Bi. Forty one isotopes and isomers of bismuth are known. Bismuth metal costs about $90/kg (99.999%). |
| Use | IN SAFETY DEVICES IN FIRE DETECTION & EXTINGUISHING SYSTEMS; CATALYST FOR MAKING ACRYLIC FIBERS; IN PRODN OF MALLEABLE IRONS; CARRIER FOR RADIOACTIVE URANIUM FUEL IN ATOMIC REACTORS IN TYPE METAL FOR THE PRINTING INDUSTRY MFR OF BISMUTH SALTS, STEREOTYPE METAL, FUSIBLE BOILER PLUGS, ELECTRIC FUSES & LOW-MELTING SOLDERS; IN TEMPERING BATHS FOR STEEL, "SILVERING" MIRRORS, & IN DENTAL TECHNIQUE ALLOYING AGENT; COMPONENT OF FUSIBLE & OTHER ALLOYS; CHEM INT FOR PHARMACEUTICALS & OTHER CHEMICALS; WIRE USED IN THERMOCOUPLERS, GALVANOMETERS; ADDITIVE (HARDENER) FOR LEAD, TIN & CADMIUM IN COSMETICS (EYE POLISH, LIPSTICK); CATALYST IN MAKING ACRYLONITRILE; PERMANENT MAGNETS; SEMICONDUCTORS; ADDITIVE TO IMPROVE MACHINABILITY OF STEELS & OTHER METALS; COATING SELENIUM; THERMOELECTRIC MATERIALS |
| Consumption Patterns | APPROXIMATELY 57.8% IN PHARMACEUTICALS (INCL INDUST & LAB CHEMS) AND COSMETICS; 21.5% IN FUSIBLE ALLOYS; 18.9% F0R METALLURGICAL ADDITIVES; 0.8% IN OTHER ALLOYS; 0.4% IN EXPERIMENTAL USES; 0.6% IN OTHER USES (1976) ABOUT 64.5% OF BI IS CONSUMED IN THE UNITED STATES AS LOW MELTING ALLOYS & METALLURGICAL ADDITIVES INCL ELECTRONIC & THERMOELECTRIC APPLICATIONS. THE REMAINDER IS USED FOR CATALYSTS, PEARLESCENT PIGMENTS IN COSMETICS, PHARMACEUTICALS & INDUSTRIAL CHEMICALS. +Pharmaceuticals & Chemicals, 59%; Manufacturing of parts for machinery, 23%; Primary metal industries, 16%; and Other uses, 2% (1985) |
| Apparent Color | RHOMBIC SILVER-WHITE OR REDDISH METAL; HEXAGONAL SILVER-WHITE CRYSTALS; GRAYISH WHITE WITH REDDISH TINGE AND BRIGHT METALLIC LUSTER; PINKISH-SILVER, HARD, BRITTLE METAL |
| Boiling Point | 1560 DEG +/-5 DEG C, 760 MM HG |
| Melting Point | 271 DEG C |
| Molecular Weight | 208.9804 |
| Density | 9.78 @ 20 DEG C/4 DEG C |
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Chemical and Physical Properties |
POOR CONDUCTOR OF ELECTRICITY; VALENCE NUMBERS: 3, 5; HAS GREATEST HALL EFFECT OF ANY METAL, THAT IS, ITS RESISTANCE INCREASES WHEN PLACED IN A MAGNETIC FIELD DULL GRAY POWDER; PARTICLES ARE OF NO GREATER DIAMETER THAN 15 U (0.015 MM); EASILY DISPERSED IN WATER MASS NUMBER (NATURAL ISOTOPES): 209; ATOMIC RADIUS= 1.46 A; IONIC (CRYSTAL) RADII= 1.20(+3)A; ELECTRONEGATIVITY (PAULING SCALE): 1.9 THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY (0.018 CAL/SEC/CC @ 250 DEG C) IS LOWEST OF ALL METALS EXCEPT MERCURY EXPANDS 3.32% ON SOLIDIFICATION; ATOMIC NUMBER: 83 ORBITAL ELECTRONS: (XE)4F(14)-5D(10)65(2)-6P(3) COLD SOLN OF BI GIVE WHITE PPT: WITH SODIUM HYDROXIDE TURNING YELLOW ON BOILING; WITH HYDROCHLORIC ACID SOL IN EXCESS OF ACID SENSITIVITY OF ATOMIC ABSORPTION: 0.22 UG/ML FOR 1% ABSORPTION IN AIR/C2H2 MIXTURE AT 2230.6 A SOLN IN HYDROCHLORIC ACID OR NITRIC ACID YIELD WITH MUCH WATER A WHITE PPT BLACKENED BY HYDROGEN SULFIDES WHEN HEATED IN AIR IT BURNS WITH A BLUE FLAME, FORMING YELLOW FUMES OF THE OXIDE ELECTRICAL RESISTIVITY HIGHER IN SOLID THAN IN LIQUID STATE; EXTRUDABLE @ 437 DEG F; BRINELL HARDNESS 7; HIGHLY DIAMAGNETIC (MASS SUSCEPTIBILITY -1.35X10+6) CONDUCTANCE IN SOLID STATE IS ONLY 0.48 OF LIQUID CONDUCTANCE |
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Environmental Impact |
Bi WAS DETECTED OR DETERMINED IN BRICK CHAMBERS OF ARSENIC TRIOXIDE FURNACES & IN SOILS AROUND FURNACES. Bi FOUND IN TRACE EMISSIONS OF STATIONARY COMBUSTORS USED BY UTILITIES IN CONTINENTAL US. Bi POORLY RETAINED BY ELECTROSTATIC PPTN USED TO EST POTENTIAL EMISSIONS FROM COMBUSTION OF 1.1 TIMES 108 METRIC TONS OF LIGNITE. BI QUITE SIGNIFICANT. EXPOSURE TO Bi MAY OCCUR IN PRODN OF METALLIC Bi & IN MFR OF PHARMACEUTICALS, COSMETICS, & INDUSTRIAL CHEMICALS. ALTHOUGH BI METAL POWDER IS ADDED TO CERTAIN MOLTEN IRON & STEELS, PRODUCING Bi METAL FUME, NO REPORTS OF ADVERSE EFFECTS HAVE APPEARED. EFFECTS OF OCCUPATIONAL EXPOSURES TO METALS REVIEWED. |
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Environmental Fate |
OCCURRENCE IN EARTH'S CRUST: APPROX 0.2 PPM. IT OCCURS NATIVE. THE MOST IMPORTANT ORES ARE BISMUTHINITE OR BISMUTH GLANCE (Bi253) & BISMITE (Bi203). OLDEST KNOWN DEPOSITS OF BISMUTH ARE IN GERMAN ERZEBERGE, BUT BISMUTH ORES ARE FOUND MOST WIDELY IN SOUTH AMERICA, CHINA, KOREA, JAPAN, SOUTH AFRICA & AUSTRALIA. BISMUTH OCCURS IN FREE STATE AND AS BISMUTH GLANCE (Bi253), TETRADYMITE - BISMUTH OCHRE. Bi APPEARED IN QUENCH WATER SYSTEM AFTER REMOVAL FROM COAL DURING GASIFICATION BY HYGAS PROCESS. |
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