Ytterbium (Yb): Essential Physical Properties, Key Industrial Applications & Production Methods

Ytterbium (Yb) is a silver-white metal. It is ductile and relatively soft. It has two crystal structures: α-type is face-centered cubic (room temperature to 798°C); β-type is body-centered cubic (above 798°C). Melting point is 824°C, boiling point is 1196°C, with relative density of 6.977 (α-type) and 6.54 (β-type). It is insoluble in cold water but soluble in acids and liquid ammonia. It remains quite stable in air.

Applications

1. Used as LCD sputtering targets
2. Can act as an activator for certain fluorescent materials
3. Can serve as an additive for special alloys

Product Series

Health and Safety Information

Packaging Specifications

• Standard packaging: 50 kg/drum, 500 kg/pallet, ton bags
• Sample packaging: 500 g/bag, 1 kg/bottle

Production of Ytterbium

After separating ytterbium from other rare earth elements via ion exchange or solvent extraction, metallic ytterbium can be prepared by metallothermic reduction. Unlike calcium reduction of rare earth chlorides, lithium reduction occurs in the vapor phase.

The lithium reduction reactor consists of two heating zones, with reduction and distillation processes conducted in the same equipment. Anhydrous ytterbium chloride (YbCl₃) is placed in the upper titanium crucible (also serving as the YbCl₃ distillation chamber), while lithium metal (reducing agent) is placed in the lower crucible. The stainless steel reaction vessel is then evacuated to 7 Pa before heating begins.

When the temperature reaches 1000°C, it is maintained to allow complete reaction between YbCl₃ vapor and lithium vapor. The reduced ytterbium metal particles collect in the lower crucible. After reduction, only the lower crucible is heated to distill LiCl into the upper crucible. The reduction process typically takes about 10 hours.

To obtain high-purity ytterbium :

• Use 99.97% pure lithium as reducing agent
• Use twice-distilled anhydrous YbCl₃