Erbium - Materials / Alfa Chemistry

NAVIGATION

Erbium

PRICE INQUIRY

Catalog Number

ACMA00014326

Product Name

Erbium

Category

Glass Additives

IUPAC Name

erbium

Molecular Weight

167.26g/mol

Molecular Formula

Canonical SMILES

[Er]

InChI

InChI=1S/Er

InChI Key

UYAHIZSMUZPPFV-UHFFFAOYSA-N

Application

Erbium, a soft silvery metallic element, serves a variety of critical applications due to its unique properties. Primarily available as a grey powder, it is widely used as an amplifier in fiber optics, significantly enhancing signal clarity in telecommunication systems. Erbium's distinctive narrow absorption band leads to its use in coloring glass and eyeware, providing a subtle pink hue while neutralizing discoloring impurities like ferric ions, resulting in a desirable neutral gray shade for decorative glassware. In the medical field, Erbium-based lasers, particularly Er:YAG, are invaluable for surgical applications because they deliver energy with minimal thermal buildup, ensuring safety and precision. Additionally, erbium's resilience is beneficial in metallurgy, where it is employed as an additive to improve the workability of metals, like vanadium, by reducing hardness. Furthermore, its ability to absorb neutrons makes it a component of interest for nuclear technology. These versatile applications, encompassing both industrial and technological domains, highlight the essential role Erbium plays across various fields.

Complexity

Covalently-Bonded Unit Count

EC Number

231-160-1

Exact Mass

165.9303g/mol

Formal Charge

Heavy Atom Count

MeSH Entry Terms

Erbium

Monoisotopic Mass

165.9303g/mol