Chemical Element: yttrium
(Modern Latin: named for Ytterby, near Vaxholm in Sweden; rare earth)
Chemical-Element information
Symbol: YAtomic number: 39
Year discovered: 1794
Discovered by: Johan Gadolin (1760-1852), a Finnish chemist.
- Yttria (yttrium oxide), was discovered by Johann Gadolin, in 1794, in a mineral called “gadolinite” from Ytterby.
- Ytterby is the site of a quarry in Sweden which contains many unusual minerals containing erbium, terbium, and ytterbium as well as yttrium.
- Friedrich Wohler obtained the impure element, in 1828, by reduction of anhydrous chloride with potassium.
- Yttrium metal is used in alloys and in metallurgical operations.
- Yttrium compounds are used in optical glasses and in special ceramics; as catalysts; and in electronic and optical devices including phosphors, garnets, and lasers.
- Red phosphors containing yttrium and europium have greatly improved color television.
Name in other languages:
French: yttrium
German: Yttrium
Italian: ittrio
Spanish: ytrio
Information about other elements may be seen at this Chemical Elements List.
A special unit about words that include chemo-, chem- may be seen here.