The Uses for Vanadium
Vanadium is a metallic element found in group 5 of the periodic table. The metal has a number of uses, chiefly as a constituent of alloys. Some 95 percent of the world's vanadium is mined in South Africa, China and Russia. Vanadium is not found in its elemental state, but can be extracted from 65 different minerals. Depending on the ore used in the production of steel from pig iron, as much as 25 percent of the leftover slag is vanadium. Vanadium compounds are also present in crude oil and coal.
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Alloys
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The primary use of vanadium is in alloys, and about 85 percent of the world's annual production goes to making steel. As an additive, the element forms nitrides and carbides, adding considerable strength to an alloy. Vanadium steel is used for such products as crankshafts, high-speed tool steels, gears and hand tools such as wrenches. Vanadium is also used, with aluminum, in titanium alloys for the manufacture of, for example, high-speed air frames and jet engines, in which it increases the heat resistance of the alloy.
Chemical Applications
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Vanadium -- in the form of vanadium pentoxide -- is used as a catalyst in a number of chemical manufacturing processes, chiefly the production of sulfuric acid. The pentoxide readily loses some of its oxygen when heated; in the presence of sulfur dioxide, the latter is oxidized to sulfur trioxide, which combines with water molecules to form sulfuric acid. Vanadium pentoxide is also used in the production of maleic anhydride, an essential compound used in the production of alkyd and polyester resins.
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Medical Uses
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Vanadium is a trace element found in numerous foods. As of 2010, there have been a few studies carried out, and most of these have been with animals; some studies suggest that the element may be useful in the treatment of type 2 diabetes by improving the body's sensitivity to insulin, thereby lowering blood sugar levels. Animal studies have shown that the element may deter the onset of colon cancer. Vanadium is known to aid digestion in the early stages of tuberculosis. Homeopaths use the product to oxidize -- and thus weaken -- toxins, and as a remedy for anorexia nervosa and a number of gastrointestinal complaints.
Other Uses
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Vanadium acts as a fixing agent in the dyeing of synthetic fabrics. Vanadium dioxide is used to place a thin infrared resistant layer on glass. Research is being carried out into the possibility of using lithium vanadium oxide as an anode in lithium batteries. A vanadium compound, vanadate, is used as a protective coating on steel products to prevent corrosion and rusting. Vanadium is also used in the production of superconducting magnets. The oxide form is also used to produce color in corundum, the base material in rubies and sapphires.
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References
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