Cobalt is a silvery grey metal used across various fields, including science, medicine, and industry. It receives its name from the German Kobold, a goblin-like spirit. Cobalt is necessary for health. Its colors are prized in glass, ceramics, dye and painters' pigment.
What is Cobalt?
Cobalt is a transition metal belonging to Group 9 of the periodic table. Characterized by its hard texture and metallic sheen, cobalt has an atomic number of 27. It exhibits properties similar to its neighboring elements, nickel and iron.
Transition metals are known for excellent ability to conduct heat and electricity. The metal is primarily extracted from ores with nickel and copper, elements also associated with mine Kobolds.
Nickel is a corrupting force of copper. In the 18th century German miners complain about the Kobold Nickel (Little Nick) who steals or destroys good copper. Likewise, the undesirable metal cobalt, which has no clear use at the time, is considered the product of a Kobold.
Cobalt is acquired as a byproduct of silver smelting. Silver melts at 962°C while the melting point of cobalt is 1495°C (2723°F). The silver can be liquified and smelted out of the metals.
Cobalt can occur with nickel and/or iron as above, the former tricky to separate due its 1455°C melting point. But, what else can you expect when these two mischievous goblins get together? Electrolyte smelting with high heat is often used today.
At first the metal cobalt is thought to be bismuth, a byproduct of copper. Cobalt blue glass is popular in Egypt and the Near East until c. 1250 BCE, the advent of the Bronze Age Collapse, when it disappears as a pigment in history.
The hue reappears in ancient Rome, and goes on to give its beauty to Venetian and other specialty glass of the Renaissance. Cobalt is first isolated 1735 by Swedish chemist Georg Brandt, who details its distinction from bismuth and nickel.
He identifies cobalt as the originator of beautiful blue hues in glass and ceramics. Until then, the blue tones are thought to derive from copper, which produces blue and green. This discovery changes how cobalt is viewed and leads to widespread use in various applications.
Properties of Cobalt
Physical: It is a hard, lustrous metal that can withstand high temperatures, with a melting point of 1,495 °C (2,723 °F).
Chemical: Cobalt is primarily found in oxidation states of +2 and +3 and readily forms complex compounds with various anions.
Magnetic: Cobalt is one of the few metals that are ferromagnetic at room temperature, making it useful in electronics and magnetic applications.
Alloys: One of cobalt’s notable features is its ability to form strong alloys. It's thus used to strengthen other metals.
Occurrence in Nature
The element is historically extracted as a byproduct of silver and copper mining, often occurring with nickel. Cobalt is not found in its pure form due to its reactive nature.
The Democratic Republic of the Congo, Russia, and Australia have significant cobalt ore deposits. Cobaltite, smaltite, skutterudite and erythrite are some of the primary cobalt ores.
Colors or Pigments Derived from Cobalt
Cobalt Blue: A deep blue, brilliant and stable pigment used in painting, ceramics, and glassmaking. Today's cobalt blue is made by mixing cobalt oxide with alumina.
Cobalt Green: Created by mixing cobalt oxide and zinc oxide, this pigment offers a rich green, making it popular with artists and artisans.
Cobalt Violet: Produced by combining cobalt oxide and aluminum oxide, cobalt violet is commonly used in painter’s palettes and cosmetics.
Cobalt can also yield light blue, pink, brown and yellow.
Functions of Cobalt in the Human Body
In biological systems, cobalt is an essential trace element for humans. It plays a critical role in the formation of vitamin B12 (cobalamin). This vitamin is critical for several bodily functions, including:
Red blood cell formation: Vitamin B12 helps produce red blood cells, which transport oxygen throughout the body.
Neurological function: It supports nerve health and function.
DNA synthesis: Cobalt is vital for the production of DNA, the body's genetic material.
Cobalt is essential for maintaining good health. Foods like meat, fish, dairy products, and whole grains are rich sources of this trace element.
Cobalt Poisoning Symptoms
Cobalt poisoning is a rare but significant condition associated with high cobalt levels in the body. This can occur through occupational exposure, or from metal implants, such as artificial hip joints.
Symptoms of cobalt poisoning include:
Cardiomyopathy: Cobalt can affect the heart, leading to heart conditions such as cardiomyopathy, which inhibits the heart's ability to pump blood.
Neurological Disorders: Prolonged exposure may result in problems like vision impairment, tinnitus, dizziness and confusion.
Thyroid Dysfunction: High levels of cobalt can disrupt the thyroid gland's normal functioning.
Respiratory Issues: Inhalation of cobalt dust can lead to problems such as coughing and shortness of breath.
Cobalt Deficiency Symptoms
Cobalt deficiency, also rare, can have pronounced effects on health primarily due to its role in vitamin B12 synthesis. Symptoms include:
Anemia: Deficiency can lead to a decrease in red blood cell production, causing fatigue and weakness.
Neurological Issues: Cognitive impairment, memory loss, numbness and other neurological symptoms can be caused by lack of vitamin B12.
Growth Disturbances: In severe cases, cobalt deficiency can affect growth and development in children.
Pale Skin: A noticeable pallor may indicate anemia due to a cobalt deficiency.
Historical and Modern Uses of Cobalt
Historically, cobalt was valued for its pigmentation properties in art and ceramics. However, its versatility has led to a diverse range of modern applications, including:
Batteries: Cobalt is a key component of lithium-ion batteries used in electric vehicles and portable electronics.
Manufacturing Alloys: Cobalt is used in making durable cutting tools, high-temperature alloys and turbine blades due to its exceptional resistance to wear and corrosion.
Catalysts: In chemical industries, cobalt compounds function as catalysts for some reactions, for instance in converting natural gas into liquid fuels.
Quick Cobalt Facts
Cobalt is named for the German Kobold, a spirit of varying functions and temperaments. In German the end "d" is pronounced like "t". English speakers call it a goblin but the term has broader use. Kobolds live in homes, sailing ships and mines.
It is one of the few metals that exhibits both ferromagnetism and piezoelectricity when in specific forms. It's easily magnetized even at room temperature.
Cobalt-60, an isotope of cobalt, is widely used in cancer radiation therapy and as a radioactive tracer in medical applications.
The colors of cobalt are still popular today. Cobalt blue glass experiences revival in the Renaissance and prevails through the following centuries. Production booms during the Victoria Era with steam power, the mechanization of factories and development of trains.
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