Niobium will play a key role in the future
It is a unique superconductor at low temperatures
Chinese researchers have discovered an ore called niobobaotite that contains the rare-earth element niobium — a precious metal that acts as a superconductor and could revolutionize battery technology.
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The Chinese have discovered a new deposit of niobium
Scientists have found a rare type of ore that contains a rare earth element sought after for its superconducting properties. An ore called niobobaotite consists of niobium, barium, titanium, iron and chloride, writes the South China Morning Post.
It is niobium that is causing excitement: This light gray metal is currently mainly used in the production of steel, which it strengthens without adding much weight to it.
According to the Royal Society of Chemistry, it is also used to make other alloys (mixed metal materials) and can be found in particle accelerators and other advanced scientific equipment because it is literally the ideal superconductor.
A new deposit was found on October 3 in Bayan Obo in the city of Baotou, which is located in Mongolia. According to the China National Nuclear Corporation (CNNC), the brown-black ore is the 17th new type found in the area and one of 150 new minerals found in the same region.
Source: chuttersnap / Unsplash
Will it revolutionize the battery segment?
According to the South China Morning Post, this discovery could be a turning point for China, which currently imports 95% of niobium. “Depending on the volume and quality of this niobium, China could become self-sufficient,” he said to a Chinese paper by National University of Singapore professor Antonio H. Castro Neto.
In China, they know that niobium can play a key role in the future, as scientists work to develop niobium-lithium and niobium-graphene batteries. According to S&P Global, these batteries can significantly reduce the risk of fires. Niobium-lithium batteries also charge faster and can be recharged more often than traditional lithium batteries.
In May, researchers from Centers for Advanced 2D Materials (CA2DM) at NUS, who are developing niobium-graphene batteries, said the batteries can last for around 30 years – ten times longer than lithium-ion batteries – and fully charge in less than 10 minutes.
Preview photo source: WikimediaImages / Pixabay, source: LiveScience, Centre for Advanced 2D Materials, cde.nus.edu, SCMP
2023-10-11 11:10:39
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