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Niobium
Electron Configuration 2,8,18,12,1
Electron Configuration [Kr] 4d4 5s1
Ground state
Atomic Volume 10.87 g/cm3
Electronegativity 1.6
Magnetic ordering No data
Mass magnetic susceptibility 2.81 x 10-8
Molar magnetic susceptibility 2.611 x 10-9
Speed of sound 3480 m s-1
Thermal Properties
Enthalpy of Atomization 745 kJ mol-1 @25°C
Enthalpy of Fusion 27.2 kJ mol-1
Enthalpy of Vaporisation 680.19 kJ mol-1
Heat Capacity 24.60 J mol-1 K-1
Thermal Conductivity 53.7 W m-1 K-1
Thermal Expansion 7.3 μm m-1 K-1
Hardness
Brinell hardness 736 MPa
Mohs hardness 6.0
Vickers hardness 1320 MPa
Elastic Properties
Bulk modulus 170 GPa
Poisson ratio 0.40
Shear modulus 38 GPa
Young's modulus 105 GPa
Electrical Properties
Electrical resistivity 1.5 x 10-7 Ω m
Electrical conductivity No data.
Chemical Properties
Electrochemical Equivalent 0.69327 g Ah-1
Electron Work Function 4.3 eV
Valence Electron Potential (-eV) 104
Ionization Potential  
First 6.88
Second 14.32
Third 25.04
Energy Levels
Kα1 (intensity 100) 16.6151 KeV
Kα2 (intensity 50) 16.521 KeV
Kβ1 (intensity 16.8) 18.6225 KeV
Kβ2 (intensity 3.4) 18.9497 KeV
Kβ3 (intensity 7.9) 18.6044 KeV
Lα1 (intensity 100) 2.16589 KeV
Lα2 (intensity 10) 2.163 KeV
Lβ1 (intensity 42.2) 2.2574 KeV
Lβ2 (intensity 3.3) 2.367 KeV
Lβ3 (intensity 4.4) 2.3347 KeV
Lβ4 (intensity 4) 2.3198 KeV
Lγ1 (intensity 4.2) 2.4618 KeV
Lγ3 (intensity 2) 1.996 KeV
Ll (intensity 5) 1.9001 KeV
Atomic Radii
Empirical 145 pm
Bohr Radius 198 pm
Covalent Radius 137 pm
Van der Waals No data.
Triple covalent 116 pm
Metallic 146 pm
Ionic Radii (Å)
Charge Coordination Crystal Ionic Key
VI 0.86 0.72
VI 0.82 0.68 RE
VIII 0.93 0.79
IV 0.62 0.48 C
VI 0.78 0.64
VII 0.83 0.69 C
VIII 0.88 0.74
R, From r3 vs V plots.
C, Calculated from bond length - bond strength equations.
E, Estimated.
*, Most Reliable.
M, From Metallic Oxides.
A, Ahrens (1952) Ionic radius.
P, Pauling's (1960) Crystal Radius.
Oxidation States
Main Nb+5
Other Nb-3, Nb-1, Nb+1, Nb+2, Nb+3, Nb+4
Ionisation Energies (kJ mol-1) show graph
M - M+ 664
M+ - M2+ 1382
M2+ - M3+ 2416
M3+ - M4+ 3695
M4+ - M5+ 4877
M5+ - M6+ 9899
M6+ - M7+ 12100
Vapour Pressure
P (Pa) 1 10 100 1K 10K 100K
T (K) 2949 3207 3524 3910 4393 5013
Crystal Structure
Structure Body centred cubic
a = 330.04 pm
b = 330.04 pm
c = 330.04 pm
α = 90°
β = 90°
γ = 90°