"Element 21" redirects here. For the golf company, see Element 21 (golf company). calcium ← scandium → titanium - ↑ Sc ↓ Y 21Sc Periodic table Appearance silvery white General properties Name, symbol, number scandium, Sc, 21 Pronunciation /ˈskændiəm/ SKAN-dee-əm Element category transition metal Group, period, block 3, 4, d Standard atomic weight 44.955912g·mol−1 Electron configuration Ar 3d1 4s2 Electrons per shell 2, 8, 9, 2 (Image) Physical properties Phase solid Density (near r.t.) 2.985 g·cm−3 Liquid density at m.p. 2.80 g·cm−3 Melting point 1814 K, 1541 °C, 2806 °F Boiling point 3109 K, 2836 °C, 5136 °F Heat of fusion 14.1 kJ·mol−1 Heat of vaporization 332.7 kJ·mol−1 Specific heat capacity (25 °C) 25.52 J·mol−1·K−1 Vapor pressure P (Pa) 1 10 100 1 k 10 k 100 k at T (K) 1645 1804 (2006) (2266) (2613) (3101) Atomic properties Oxidation states 3, 21, 1 2 (weakly basic oxide) Electronegativity 1.36 (Pauling scale) Ionization energies (more) 1st: 633.1 kJ·mol−1 2nd: 1235.0 kJ·mol−1 3rd: 2388.6 kJ·mol−1 Atomic radius 162 pm Covalent radius 170±7 pm Van der Waals radius 211 pm Miscellanea Crystal structure hexagonal Magnetic ordering paramagnetic Electrical resistivity (r.t.) (α, poly) calc. 562 nΩ·m Thermal conductivity (300 K) 15.8 W·m−1·K−1 Thermal expansion (r.t.) (α, poly) 10.2 µm/(m·K) Young's modulus 74.4 GPa Shear modulus 29.1 GPa Bulk modulus 56.6 GPa Poisson ratio 0.279 Brinell hardness 750 MPa CAS registry number 7440-20-2 Most stable isotopes Main article: Isotopes of scandium iso NA half-life DM DE (MeV) DP 44mSc syn 58.61 h IT 0.2709 44Sc γ 1.0, 1.1, 1.1 44Sc ε - 44Ca 45Sc 100% 45Sc is stable with 24 neutrons 46Sc syn 83.79 d β− 0.3569 46Ti γ 0.889, 1.120 - 47Sc syn 3.3492 d β− 0.44, 0.60 47Ti γ 0.159 - 48Sc syn 43.67 h β− 0.661 48Ti γ 0.9, 1.3, 1.0 - v · d · e

Scandium ( /ˈskændiəm/ SKAN-dee-əm) is a chemical element with symbol Sc and atomic number 21. A silvery-white metallic transition metal, it has historically been sometimes classified as a rare earth element, together with yttrium and the lanthanoids. In 1879, Lars Fredrik Nilson and his team, found a new element with spectral analysis, in the minerals euxenite and gadolinite from Scandinavia. Scandium is present in most of the rare earth element and uranium deposits, but it is extracted from these ores in only a few mines worldwide. Due to the low availability and the difficulties in the preparation of metallic scandium, which was first done in 1937, it took until the 1970s before applications for scandium were developed. The positive effects of scandium on aluminium alloys were discovered in the 1970s, and its use in such alloys remains its only major application. The properties of Sc compounds are intermediate between the properties of Al and Y, and there is a diagonal relationship between the behavior of Mg and Sc, just as there is between Be and Al. There has been controversy as to whether yttrium is in the same group as lanthanum or as lutetium.3 In the chemical compounds of the elements shown as group 3, above, the predominant oxidation state is +3. The ions M3+ will all have the electronic configuration of a noble gas, so it is reasonable that they should be in the same group of the periodic table. Most modern text-books place Sc, Y, La and Ac in the same periodic group. Contents 1 Properties 1.1 Chemical characteristics of the element 1.2 Isotopes 1.3 Occurrence 2 Production 3 Compounds 3.1 Oxides and hydroxides 3.2 Halides and pseudohalides 3.3 Organic derivatives 3.4 Compounds where scandium is not Sc3+ 4 History 5 Applications 6 Health and safety 7 See also 8 References 9 External links Properties Chemical characteristics of the element Scandium metal is hard and has a silvery appearance. It develops a slightly yellowish or pinkish cast when exposed to air. It is not resistant to weathering and dissolves slowly in most dilute acids. It does not react with a 1:1 mixture of nitric acid (HNO3) and hydrofluoric acid, HF, presumably due to the formation of an impermeable passive layer on the surface of the metal. Isotopes Main article: Isotopes of scandium

Scandium exists naturally as a single isotope 45Sc, which has a nuclear spin of 7/2. Thirteen radioisotopes have been characterized with the most stable being 46Sc with a half-life of 83.8 days, 47Sc with a half-life of 3.35 days, and 48Sc with a half-life of 43.7 hours. All of the remaining radioactive isotopes have half lives that are less than 4 hours, and the majority of these have half-lives that are less than 2 minutes. This element also has five meta states with the most stable being 44mSc (t½ = 58.6 h).4 The isotopes of scandium range in atomic weight from 40 u (40Sc) to 54 u (54Sc). The primary decay mode at masses lower than the only stable isotope, 45Sc, is electron capture, and the primary mode at masses above it is beta emission. The primary decay products at atomic weights below 45Sc are calcium isotopes and the primary products from higher atomic weights are titanium isotopes.4 Occurrence Scandium does not have a particularly low abundance in the earth's crust. Estimates vary from 18 to 25 ppm, which is comparable to the abundance of cobalt (20–30 ppm). Scandium is only the 50th most common element on earth (35th most abundant in the crust, but it is the 23rd most common element in the sun).5 However, scandium is distributed sparsely and occurs in trace amounts in many minerals.6 Rare minerals from Scandinavia7 and Madagascar8 such as thortveitite, euxenite, and gadolinite are the only known concentrated sources of this element. Thortveitite can contain up to 45% of scandium in the form of scandium(III) oxide.7 The stable form of scandium is created in supernovas via the r-process.9 Production World production of scandium is in the order of 2 tonnes per year in the form of scandium oxide. The primary production is 400 kg while the rest is from stockpiles of Russia generated during the Cold War. In 2003, only three mines produced scandium: the uranium and iron mines in Zhovti Vody in Ukraine, the rare earth mines in Bayan Obo, China and the apatite mines in the Kola peninsula, Russia. In each case scandium is a byproduct from the extraction of other elements.10 and is sold as scandium oxide.

The production of metallic scandium is in the order of 10 kg per year.1011 The oxide is converted to scandium fluoride and reduced with metallic calcium. Madagascar and Iveland-Evje region in Norway have the only deposits of minerals with high scandium content, thortveitite (Sc,Y)2(Si2O7) and kolbeckite ScPO4·2H2O, but these are not being exploited.11 Other scandium sources include the nickel and cobalt laterite mines in Australia at Greenvale, Queensland, Syerston and Lake Innes, New South Wales, iron, tin, and tungsten deposits in China and uranium deposits in Russia and Kazakhstan. As of 2003, scandium was not being extracted from the tailings at any of these mines, but some scandium extraction may be started if there is sufficient demand.10 There is currently no primary production of scandium in the Americas, Europe, or Australia. The absence of reliable, secure, stable and long term production has limited commercial applications of scandium in most countries. This is despite a comprehensive body of research and a large number of patents which identify significant benefits for the use of scandium over other elements. Particularly promising are the properties of stabilizing zirconia and strengthening aluminium alloys (0.5% scandium). Scandia-stabilized zirconia has a growing market demand for use as a high efficiency electrolyte in solid oxide fuel cells. The availability of high-purity scandium oxide production is proposed to commence from the NORNICO project near Greenvale, Queensland in 2013–2014. Compounds The chemistry is almost completely dominated by the trivalent ion. The radii of M3+ ions in the preceding table indicate why the chemistry of scandium is more closely related to that of yttrium than that of aluminium and explains why scandium has been classified as a lanthanide-like element. Ionic radii (pm) Al Sc Y La Lu 53.5 74.5 90.0 103.2 86.1 Oxides and hydroxides The oxide Sc2O3 is weakly acidic and the hydroxide Sc(OH)3 is amphoteric: Sc(OH)3 + 3 OH− → Sc(OH)3− 6 Sc(OH)3 + 3 H+ + 3 H2O → [Sc(H2O)63+ The α- and γ- forms of scandium oxide hydroxide (ScO(OH)), are isostructural with their aluminium oxide hydroxide counterparts.12 Solutions of Sc3+ in water are acidic because of hydrolysis. Halides and pseudohalides

The halides ScX3 (X = Cl, Br, I) are very soluble in water, but ScF3 is insoluble. In all four halides the scandium is 6-coordinate. The halides are Lewis acids; for example, ScF3 dissolves a solution containing excess fluoride to form [ScF63−. The coordination number 6 is typical of Sc(III). In the larger Y3+ and La3+ ions, 8- and 9- coordination are often found. Scandium(III) triflate is sometimes used as a Lewis acid catalyst in organic chemistry. Organic derivatives Main article: Organoscandium compounds Scandium forms a series of organometallic compounds with C5Me5 ligands (Cp) such as the chlorine-bridged dimer, [ScCp2Cl]2.13 Compounds where scandium is not Sc3+ Compounds that feature Sc in the oxidation state other than 3 are well known. The cluster [Sc6Cl123− is a similar structure to that of the Nb6Cl12 cluster wherein chloride centers bridge the 12 edges of an octahedron of metal atoms.14 The nature of the hydride ScH2 is not yet fully understood.2 It appears not to be a saline hydride of Sc(II), but may be a compound of Sc(III) with two hydrides and an electron which is delocalized in a kind of metallic structure. ScH can be observed spectroscopically at high temperatures in the gas phase.1 In the compounds ScB and ScC, boron and carbon are incorporated non-stoichiometrically into the lattice of the scandium.15 History Dmitri Mendeleev, creator of the periodic table, predicted the existence of an element ekaboron, with an atomic mass between 40 and 48 in 1869. Ten years later Lars Fredrik Nilson found a new element in the minerals euxenite and gadolinite from Scandinavia. He was able to prepare 2 grams of scandium oxide of high purity.1617 He named it scandium, from the Latin Scandia meaning "Scandinavia". Nilson was apparently unaware of Mendeleev's prediction, but Per Teodor Cleve recognized the correspondence and notified Mendeleev.18 Metallic scandium was produced for the first time in 1937 by electrolysis of a eutectic mixture, at 700–800 °C, of potassium, lithium, and scandium chlorides.19 The first pound of 99% pure scandium metal was produced in 1960. The use for aluminium alloys began in 1971, following a US patent.20 Aluminium-scandium alloys were also developed in the USSR.21 Applications Parts of the MiG-29 are made from Al-Sc alloy.22

The addition of scandium to aluminium limits the excessive grain growth that occurs in the heat-affected zone of welded aluminium components. This has two beneficial effects: the precipitated Al3Sc forms smaller crystals than are formed in other aluminium alloys22 and the volume of precipitate-free zones that normally exist at the grain boundaries of age-hardening aluminium alloys is reduced.22 Both of these effects increase the usefulness of the alloy. However, titanium alloys, which are similar in lightness and strength, are cheaper and much more widely used.23 The main application of scandium by weight is in aluminium-scandium alloys for minor aerospace industry components. These alloys contain between 0.1% and 0.5% of scandium. They were used in the Russian military aircraft, specifically the MiG-21 and MiG-29.22 Some items of sports equipment, which rely on high performance materials, have been made with scandium-aluminium alloys, including baseball bats24, lacrosse sticks, as well as bicycle25 frames and components. Lacrosse sticks are also made with scandium-titanium alloys to take advantage of the strength of titanium. The American gunmaking company Smith & Wesson produces revolvers with frames composed of scandium alloy and cylinders of titanium.26 Approximately 20 kg (as Sc2O3) of scandium is used annually in the United States to make high-intensity discharge lamps.27 Scandium iodide, along with sodium iodide, when added to a modified form of mercury-vapor lamp, produces a form of metal halide lamp, an artificial light source which produce a very white light with high color rendering index that sufficiently resembles sunlight to allow good color-reproduction with TV cameras.28 About 80 kg of scandium is used in metal halide lamps/light bulbs globally per year. The first scandium-based metal halide lamps were patented by General Electric and initially made in North America, although they are now produced in all major industrialized countries. The radioactive isotope 46Sc is used in oil refineries as a tracing agent.27 Scandium triflate is a catalytic Lewis acid used in organic chemistry.29 Health and safety

Elemental scandium is not considered to be toxic. Little animal testing of scandium compounds has been done.30 The median lethal dose (LD50) levels for scandium(III) chloride for rats have been determined and were intraperitoneal 4 mg/kg and oral 755 mg/kg.31 In the light of these results compounds of scandium should be handled as compounds of moderate toxicity. See also Scandium compounds Scandium minerals Rare earth element References ^ a b McGuire, Joseph C.; Kempter, Charles P. (1960). "Preparation and Properties of Scandium Dihydride". Journal of Chemical Physics 33: 1584–1585. doi:10.1063/1.1731452.  ^ a b Smith, R. E. (1973). "Diatomic Hydride and Deuteride Spectra of the Second Row Transition Metals". Proceedings of the Royal Society of London. Series A, Mathematical and Physical Sciences 332 (1588): 113–127. doi:10.1098/rspa.1973.0015.  ^ Lavelle, L. (2008). "Lanthanum (La) and Actinium (Ac) Should Remain in the d-block". J. Chem. Ed. 85: 1482. doi:10.1021/ed085p1482.  ^ a b Audi, Georges (2003). "The NUBASE Evaluation of Nuclear and Decay Properties". Nuclear Physics A (Atomic Mass Data Center) 729: 3–128. doi:10.1016/j.nuclphysa.2003.11.001.  ^ Lide, David R. (2004). CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics. Boca Raton: CRC Press. pp. 4–28. ISBN 9780849304859.  ^ Bernhard, F. (2001). "Scandium mineralization associated with hydrothermal lazurite-quartz veins in the Lower Austroalpie Grobgneis complex, East Alps, Austria". Mineral Deposits in the Beginning of the 21st Century. Lisse: Balkema. ISBN 9026518463.  ^ a b Kristiansen, Roy (2003). "Scandium - Mineraler I Norge" (in Norwegian). Stein: 14–23. http://www.nags.net/Stein/2003/Sc-minerals.pdf.  ^ von Knorring, O.; Condliffe, E. (1987). "Mineralized pegmatites in Africa". Geological Journal 22: 253. doi:10.1002/gj.3350220619.  ^ A.G.W. Cameron (June 1957). "Stellar Evolution, Nuclear Astrophysics, and Nucleogenesis". CRL-41.  "http://www.fas.org/sgp/eprint/CRL-41.pdf" ^ a b c Deschamps, Y.. "Scandium". mineralinfo.com. http://www.mineralinfo.org/Substance/Scandium/Sc.pdf. Retrieved 2008-10-21.  ^ a b "Mineral Commodity Summaries 2008: Scandium". United States Geological Survey. http://minerals.usgs.gov/minerals/pubs/commodity/scandium/mcs-2008-scand.pdf. Retrieved 2008-10-20.  ^ Christensen, A. Nørlund; Stig Jorgo Jensen (1967). "Hydrothermal Preparation of alpha-ScOOH and of gamma-ScOOH. Crystal Structure of alpha-ScOOH.". Acta Chemica Scandinavica 21: 1121–126.. doi:10.3891/acta.chem.scand.21-0121.  ^ Model Ziegler-Natta a-Olefin Polymerization Catalysts Derived from [{(h5-C5Me4)SiMe2(h1-NCMe3)}(PMe3)Sc(m2-H)]2 and [{(h5-C5Me4)SiMe2(h1-NCMe3)}Sc(m2-CH2CH2CH3)]2. Synthesis, Structures and Kinetic and Equilibrium Investigations of the Catalytically active Species in Solution" Pamela J. Shapiro, W. Donald Cotter William P. Schaefer, Jay A. Labinger and John E. Bercaw J. Am. Chem. Soc., volume 116, 4623 (1994). ^ Corbett, J.D. (1981). "Extended metal-metal bonding in halides of the early transition metals". Acc. Chem. Res. 14: 239–246. doi:10.1021/ar00068a003.  ^ Holleman, Arnold F.; Wiberg, Egon; Wiberg, Nils (1985). Lehrbuch der Anorganischen Chemie (91–100 ed.). Walter de Gruyter. pp. 1055–1056. ISBN 3110075113.  ^ Nilson, Lars Fredrik (1879). "Sur l'ytterbine, terre nouvelle de M. Marignac" (in French). Comptes Rendus 88: 642–647. http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k30457/f639.table.  ^ Nilson, Lars Fredrik (1879). "Ueber Scandium, ein neues Erdmetall" (in German). Berichte der deutschen chemischen Gesellschaft 12 (1): 554–557. doi:10.1002/cber.187901201157.  ^ Per Teodor Cleve (1879). "Sur le scandium" (in French). Comptes Rendus 89: 419–422. http://gallica.bnf.fr/ark:/12148/bpt6k3046j/f432.table.  ^ Fischer, Werner; Brünger, Karl; Grieneisen, Hans (1937). "Über das metallische Scandium" (in German). Zeitschrift für anorganische und allgemeine Chemie 231 (1-2): 54–62. doi:10.1002/zaac.19372310107.  ^ "Aluminum scandium alloy" Burrell, A. Willey Lower U.S. Patent 3,619,181 1971 ^ Zakharov, V. V. (2003). "Effect of Scandium on the Structure and Properties of Aluminum Alloys". Metal Science and Heat Treatment 45: 246. doi:10.1023/A:1027368032062.  ^ a b c d Ahmad, Zaki (2003). "The properties and application of scandium-reinforced aluminum". JOM 55: 35. doi:10.1007/s11837-003-0224-6.  ^ Schwarz, James A.; Contescu, Cristian I.; Putyera, Karol (2004). Dekker encyclopédia of nanoscience and nanotechnology, Volume 3. CRC Press. p. 2274. ISBN 0824750497. http://books.google.com/?id=aveTxwZm40UC&pg=PA2274.  ^ Bjerklie, Steve (2006). "A batty business: Anodized metal bats have revolutionized baseball. But are finishers losing the sweet spot?". Metal Finishing 104: 61. doi:10.1016/S0026-0576(06)80099-1.  ^ "Easton Technology Report : Materials / Scandium". EastonBike.com. http://www.eastonbike.com/downloadable_files_unprotected/r&d_files/R&D-03%20Scandium.pdf. Retrieved 2009-04-03.  ^ "Small Frame (J) - Model 340PD Revolver". Smith & Wesson. http://www.smith-wesson.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?storeId=10001&catalogId=11101&langId=-1&productId=14765&tabselected=tech&isFirearm=Y&parent_category_rn=15704. Retrieved 2008-10-20.  ^ a b Hammond, C.R. in CRC Handbook of Chemistry and Physics 85th ed., Section 4; The Elements ^ Simpson, Robert S. (2003). Lighting Control: Technology and Applications. Focal Press. pp. 108. ISBN 9780240515663. http://books.google.com/?id=GEIhCl2T-2EC&pg=PT147.  ^ Kobayashi, Shu; Manabe, Kei (2000). "Green Lewis acid catalysis in organic synthesis". Pure Appl. Chem. 72 (7): 1373–1380. doi:10.1351/pac200072071373. http://www.iupac.org/publications/pac/2000/7207/7207pdf/7207kobayashi_1373.pdf.  ^ Horovitz, Chaim T.; Birmingham, Scott D. (1999). Biochemistry of Scandium and Yttrium. Springer. ISBN 9780306456572. http://books.google.com/?id=1ZTQlCWKjmgC.  ^ Haley, Thomas J.; Komesu, L.; Mavis, N.; Cawthorne, J.; Upham, H. C. (1962). "Pharmacology and toxicology of scandium chloride". Journal of Pharmaceutical Sciences 51: 1043. doi:10.1002/jps.2600511107.  External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to: Scandium Look up scandium in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. WebElements.com – Scandium Eric Scerri, The Periodic System, Its Story and Its Significance, Oxford University Press, New York, 2007. v · d · e  Scandium compounds

ScB12 · ScCl3 · ScF3 · Sc(NO3)3 · Sc2O3 · Sc2S3 v · d · e Periodic table H   He Li Be   B C N O F Ne Na Mg   Al Si P S Cl Ar K Ca   Sc Ti V Cr Mn Fe Co Ni Cu Zn Ga Ge As Se Br Kr Rb Sr   Y Zr Nb Mo Tc Ru Rh Pd Ag Cd In Sn Sb Te I Xe Cs Ba La Ce Pr Nd Pm Sm Eu Gd Tb Dy Ho Er Tm Yb Lu Hf Ta W Re Os Ir Pt Au Hg Tl Pb Bi Po At Rn Fr Ra Ac Th Pa U Np Pu Am Cm Bk Cf Es Fm Md No Lr Rf Db Sg Bh Hs Mt Ds Rg Cn Uut Uuq Uup Uuh Uus Uuo Alkali metals Alkaline earth metals Lanthanides Actinides Transition metals Other metals Metalloids Other nonmetals Halogens Noble gases Unknown chem. properties Large version 

ScB12 · ScCl3 · ScF3 · Sc(NO3)3 · Sc2O3 · Sc2S3 v · d · e Periodic table H   He Li Be   B C N O F Ne Na Mg   Al Si P S Cl Ar K Ca   Sc Ti V Cr Mn Fe Co Ni Cu Zn Ga Ge As Se Br Kr Rb Sr   Y Zr Nb Mo Tc Ru Rh Pd Ag Cd In Sn Sb Te I Xe Cs Ba La Ce Pr Nd Pm Sm Eu Gd Tb Dy Ho Er Tm Yb Lu Hf Ta W Re Os Ir Pt Au Hg Tl Pb Bi Po At Rn Fr Ra Ac Th Pa U Np Pu Am Cm Bk Cf Es Fm Md No Lr Rf Db Sg Bh Hs Mt Ds Rg Cn Uut Uuq Uup Uuh Uus Uuo Alkali metals Alkaline earth metals Lanthanides Actinides Transition metals Other metals Metalloids Other nonmetals Halogens Noble gases Unknown chem. properties Large version 

ScB12 · ScCl3 · ScF3 · Sc(NO3)3 · Sc2O3 · Sc2S3 v · d · e Periodic table H   He Li Be   B C N O F Ne Na Mg   Al Si P S Cl Ar K Ca   Sc Ti V Cr Mn Fe Co Ni Cu Zn Ga Ge As Se Br Kr Rb Sr   Y Zr Nb Mo Tc Ru Rh Pd Ag Cd In Sn Sb Te I Xe Cs Ba La Ce Pr Nd Pm Sm Eu Gd Tb Dy Ho Er Tm Yb Lu Hf Ta W Re Os Ir Pt Au Hg Tl Pb Bi Po At Rn Fr Ra Ac Th Pa U Np Pu Am Cm Bk Cf Es Fm Md No Lr Rf Db Sg Bh Hs Mt Ds Rg Cn Uut Uuq Uup Uuh Uus Uuo Alkali metals Alkaline earth metals Lanthanides Actinides Transition metals Other metals Metalloids Other nonmetals Halogens Noble gases Unknown chem. properties Large version