cobalt

cobalt
Alchemist-hp (talk) (www.pse-mendelejew.de) · FAL · source
Name	Cobalt
Atomic number	27
Atomic weight	58.933194
Category	Transition metal
Phase	Solid
Appearance	Lustrous, silvery-gray
Discovered	1735
Discovered by	Georg Brandt
Electron configuration	[Ar] 3d7 4s2

cobalt Cobalt is a lustrous, hard, silvery-gray transition metal with atomic number 27. It is historically significant for its role in pigments, metallurgy, and high-performance alloys, and figures in the industrial histories of Sweden, Germany, United Kingdom, Democratic Republic of the Congo, and Zambia. Its discovery and study influenced chemists associated with Royal Society, Stockholm University, and scientists such as Georg Brandt and later investigators linked to Royal Institution and Max Planck Society.

Etymology and Discovery

The name derives from the German "Kobold," coined by miners in regions near Erzgebirge and Bavaria who associated troublesome ores with subterranean spirits during the era of the Holy Roman Empire and continental mining booms of the 16th–18th centuries. Systematic isolation was achieved by Georg Brandt in 1735 while working in the context of Swedish and European chemical research networks that included contacts with figures connected to Uppsala University and patrons of the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences. Subsequent analytical work by chemists in centers such as Berlin and Paris refined atomic theory debates earlier advanced at institutions like École Polytechnique and Royal Society of London.

Physical and Chemical Properties

Cobalt is a ferromagnetic element at room temperature sharing magnetic classification history with elements studied in experiments at University of Cambridge and University of Göttingen. Its crystal structures, phase diagrams, and alloy behaviors have been investigated in materials laboratories affiliated with Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Carnegie Institution for Science, and industrial research arms of General Electric and Siemens. Electronic configuration and bonding models were debated in discourse influenced by Niels Bohr and later quantum treatments from groups at Cavendish Laboratory and Max Planck Institute for Chemistry. Cobalt forms coordination compounds and complex ions that have been characterized by spectroscopists and structural chemists at ETH Zurich and Columbia University using methods pioneered in labs linked to Royal Institution and Institut Pasteur.

Occurrence and Extraction

Major ore minerals include cobaltite and erythrite historically mined in regions administered by entities like the British Empire and modern states including Zambia and Democratic Republic of the Congo. The modern supply chain involves multinational corporations and mining companies operating under regulatory frameworks influenced by institutions such as World Bank and trade bodies hosted by European Commission. Extraction techniques—hydrometallurgy, pyrometallurgy, and flotation—were improved by engineering groups affiliated with Technical University of Munich and Colorado School of Mines, while recycling and urban mining efforts have been advanced by consortia including International Energy Agency and technology firms like Tesla, Inc. and Panasonic.

Applications and Uses

Cobalt is central to lithium-ion battery cathodes developed by collaborations between research groups at Toyota, Bell Labs, and university teams at University of California, Berkeley. It is a critical alloying element in superalloys used in turbine engines from manufacturers such as Rolls-Royce and General Electric, and in permanent magnets produced by companies with engineering ties to Ames Laboratory and Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Cobalt-based pigments feature in ceramic and glass works with histories linked to artists represented by institutions like the Victoria and Albert Museum and scientific analyses conducted at Smithsonian Institution. Medical and prosthetic device advances employing cobalt-chromium alloys have been pursued in clinical and research centers including Mayo Clinic and Johns Hopkins University.

Biological Role and Toxicity

Cobalt is an essential trace element in the form of cobalamin (vitamin B12), a molecule whose biochemical role in methylation and erythropoiesis was elucidated in research supported by laboratories at Harvard Medical School and Nobel-recognized work connected to investigators associated with Karolinska Institutet. Deficiency and clinical syndromes related to vitamin B12 have been treated in hospitals affiliated with Massachusetts General Hospital and studied in public health contexts by agencies like World Health Organization. Occupational and environmental cobalt exposure incidents prompted regulatory responses by bodies such as Occupational Safety and Health Administration and European Medicines Agency, while toxicology research from institutions including National Institutes of Health and Institut Pasteur characterized dose-response relationships and cardiomyopathy concerns documented in epidemiological studies involving populations in mining regions like Katanga Province.

Isotopes and Nuclear Applications

Cobalt has several isotopes; the most notable for applied nuclear science is cobalt-60, used as a gamma radiation source in sterilization and radiotherapy devices produced by companies collaborating with national research reactors run by organizations like International Atomic Energy Agency and facilities such as Ottawa’s Chalk River Laboratories and Argonne National Laboratory. Nuclear activation and tracer studies employing cobalt isotopes have been conducted in programs linked to CERN and national laboratories including Los Alamos National Laboratory. Safety standards and transport regulations for radioisotopes are overseen by agencies such as International Atomic Energy Agency and national regulators like Nuclear Regulatory Commission.

Category:Chemical elements