Cobalt (Co) – Properties, Applications

Topics Covered

Introduction
Chemical Properties
Physical Properties
Mechanical Properties
Thermal Properties
Applications

Introduction

Cobalt is a chemical element with Co as its symbol. It belongs to group 9, periodic number 4 of the periodic table. Its atomic number is 27.

Cobalt is silver-white in color with a bluish tinge. It is a hard, ferromagnetic, brittle element. The primary ores of cobalt are cobaltite, smaltite and erythrite. It can also be obtained as a byproduct of lead, nickel, silver, copper and iron mining and refining processes. Evidence also indicates that it is present in meteorites. Major cobalt producers are DR Congo, Zambia, China, Russia and Australia.

Cobalt is stable in air and is not affected by water. It is active chemically and dissolves in dilute sulfuric acid, nitric or hydrochloric acid. Alkalis have an effect on it as well.

Chemical Properties

The chemical properties of cobalt are provided in the table below.

Physical Properties

The following table discusses the physical properties of cobalt.

Mechanical Properties

The mechanical properties of cobalt are tabulated below.

Thermal Properties

The thermal properties of cobalt are tabulated below.

Applications

The following are the application areas of cobalt:

• In producing alloys
• In magnets and magnetic recording media
• As catalysts for petroleum and chemical industries
• As drying agents for paints and inks

Cobalt blue is used in stained glass, tiles, porcelain, pottery, and enamel jewelry.