What is scandium used for?

Dmitri Mendeleev predicted the existence of an element ekaboron, with an atomic mass between 40 and 48 in 1869. Swedish chemist Lars Fredrik Nilson and his team found this element in the minerals euxenite and gadolinite in 1879. Nilson separated 2 g of scandium oxide of high purity. He called the element scandium, from the Latin Scandia meaning “Scandinavia.” 

isotope

In nature, Sc exists only as the isotope 45Sc, which has a nuclear spin of 7/2, and is the only stable isotope. Thirteen radioisotopes have been observed with the most stable being 46Sc with a half-life of 83.79 days; 47Sc with a half-life of 3.35 days; the positron emitter 44Sc with a half-life of 4 hours; and 48Sc with a half-life of 43.67 hours. All the other radioisotopes have half-lives less than 4 hours, and most have half-lives less than 2 minutes. In addition, Sc has five nuclear isomers, with the most stable being 44mSc (half-life of 58.6 hours). The isotopes of Sc range from 36Sc to 60Sc.

Major uses

Scandium is mainly used for research purposes. It has, however, great potential as it has almost the same low density as aluminum but a much higher melting point. The main use of Sc by weight is in Al-Sc alloys for small aerospace industry components. These alloys have 0.1%-0.5% Sc. 

 Some dentists use erbiumchromium-doped yttrium-scandium-gallium garnet (Er,Cr:YSGG) lasers for cavity preparation and in endodontics. The first Sc-based metal halide lamps were originally patented by General Electric and initially manufactured in North America, though they are now made in all major industrialized countries. 

The radioactive isotope 46Sc, with a half-life of about 84 days, is used in oil refineries as a tracing agent to follow the movement of various fractions as the oil is refined. In a comparable manner it can detect leaks in underground pipes carrying liquids. 

Another use of Sc is to induce germination of seeds. When it is applied as a dilute solution of scandium sulfate to corn, peas, and wheat, it increases the number of seeds successfully germinating.