This week, the blog focuses on the different elements that make up the motor and the electrical system of electric vehicles such as EVie. The elements discussed this week include nickel, lanthanum, cadmium, tungsten, and neodymium.
Before lithium-ion rechargeable batteries were readily available, nickel was used in these batteries. Nickel has been used since ancient times, but was only isolated at a separate element in 1751. Although nickel is the fifth most common element on Earth, ancient sources tended to come from meteorites, as most of the nickel found on Earth is found in the core, along with iron. Nickel is made in the cores of massive stars and is released when those stars go supernova. The story of how nickel was named is rather interesting. When miners were attempting to mine copper from an ore, they discovered the ore had no copper in it. They believed that there were goblins, or sprites, that were stealing the copper. In German Mythology, nickel is the name of one of these sprites. Nickel is element 28 on the periodic table and is known as a transition metal. The symbol for nickel is Ni. Nickel is a hard, ductile metal that is also magnetic, so many magnets are made with nickel. At this time, nickel is not mined in the United States but there are plans to begin mining it in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan.
Nickel
Along with nickel, cadmium is also used in rechargeable batteries. Cadmium is a malleable and ductile metal that is so soft that it can be cut with a knife. Discovered in 1817, cadmium is element 48 on the Periodic Table with a chemical symbol of Cd. The name cadmium comes from both Latin, cadmia, and Greek, kadmeia, which are words for calamine, which is zinc carbonate. Cadmium is a by-product of smelting other elements. Although primarily used for batteries and alloys for bearing, research is examining the use of cadmium in thin solar cells. Cadmium is highly toxic, so its use in many different applications is being gradually phased out.
Cadmium Flakes
Another metal used in nickel-metal rechargeable batteries, specifically as an electrode, is element 57 on the Periodic Table, lanthanum. A Toyota Prius battery uses 10 kg of lanthanum. Lanthanum was discovered in 1839 and is the most reactive of the rare earth metals. Like the other rare earth metals, lanthanum is not found by itself in nature but is found in ores such as monazite and bastnasite. The symbol for lanthanum is La. Lanthanum comes from the Greek word lanthano, which means to be hidden. This rare earth metal is soft, ductile and malleable.
Lanthanum
If you have ever closely examined an incandescent light bulb, you will notice a spiral piece of metal in the center. It’s known as a filament and is most likely made of tungsten, element 74 on the periodic table. Tungsten has the highest melting point of all the metals and is typically used in high temperature applications. Because of this and tungsten’s high tensile strength, it is commonly used as an alloy in electrical applications. Tungsten is found in the ore wolframite and was initially discovered in 1781. This element has two different names. In the English (and French) speaking world, element 74 is known as tungsten, which is derived from the Swedish words for heavy stone. In places where Germanic-based languages are spoken, element 74 is known as wolfram, which comes from the German words for wolf and cream. The chemical symbol for tungsten is W.
Wolframite Ore
Another element used for making magnets is neodymium, element 60 on the Periodic Table. Neodymium, symbol Nd, is another rare earth metal which is found in monazite sand. Although initially discovered in 1885, neodymium was not isolated as a separate element until 1925. The name neodymium is derived from the Greek words for new twin, neos and didymos. Neodymium is added to the glass in welder’s goggles and is used to make some shades of red and violet in glass. The primary use of neodymium is as a magnet in motors. Neodymium magnets are found in electric vehicle motors, like EVie’s and in wind turbines!
Neodymium
References:
Nickel
Cadmium
All the Information on Cadmium
Lanthanum
Tungsten
Neodymium
In the past few weeks, we have discussed different minerals that are important to electric vehicles like EVie. One major component of electric vehicles and EVie is steel. The frame, or chassis, of most cars and of EVie is made of steel. Not only is steel needed to make the frame of cars, but steel is needed to make the bridges (like the Daniel Boone Bridge) and the roadways that cars drive on. The primary component of steel is iron. But steel is more than just iron, steel is an alloy, which means it is made up of multiple different minerals and compounds. Adding different minerals and compounds to the iron gives steel different properties. The end use of the steel determines what elements are added and how much is added to the iron. Some of the different elements used to make steel alloys are: vanadium, chromium, manganese, and molybdenum.
Vanadium was first isolated in 1801 by Del Rio, who named the element erythronium. However, other scientists at the time convinced Del Rio that he had not discovered a new element, but just a variant of chromium. Vanadium was rediscovered in 1831 where it was named after the Germanic goddess of beauty, Vanadis, because of the wide range of colors for different vanadium compounds. The chemical symbol for vanadium is V and it is element 23 on the Periodic Table. Vanadium is a malleable and ductile metal. Vanadium is added to steel to increase its strength and to make high speed tools.
Vanadium
Element 24 on the Periodic Table is chromium (Cr), a malleable metal. The name chromium comes from the Greek word “chroma” which means color. Compounds containing Chromium are intensely colored. In the past, Chromium compounds were responsible for the yellow color of school buses. Additionally, Chromium compounds make deep reds and are often used to make synthetic rubies. However, because certain types of Chromium compounds are carcinogenic (they cause cancer), they are not typically used in paints anymore. Chromium is what is added to steel to make it stainless, because Chromium is resistant to corrosion and to discoloration. A car’s chrome is usually made with steel containing chromium because it can be polished to a shiny finish. Chromium is mined in South Africa.
Chromium
Next to chromium on the Periodic Table is manganese. The symbol for manganese is Mn and it is element 25. Manganese is critical for photosynthesis and humans need it for different metabolic functions. Manganese compounds have been used since ancient times and have been found in the black paint in cave paintings. Manganese has a variety of different uses. It can be added to glass to make it colorless and is also used as a filler in dry cell batteries. Ninety percent of manganese is used in steel production as adding manganese helps prevent rust and corrosion while improving the strength and workability of the steel. Steel containing manganese was used to make World War 1 helmets and World War 2 nickels. Manganese is currently used in the Sacagawea coin. The name manganese is similar to magnet, but manganese is not magnetic.
Manganese Ore
Another metal that is used in steel alloys is molybdenum. Molybdenum’s symbol is Mo and it is element 42 on the Periodic Table. Although recognized as a distinct element in 1778, in ancient times molybdenum was often confused with lead. The name comes from the Greek word for lead, molybdos. Molybdenum is a by product of copper mining. Steel alloys with molybdenum can withstand intense heat and wear and is used for different applications such as motors and electrical contacts. Soda ash glass that is coated with molybdenum can also be used in making solar cells.
Molybdenum
Many different elements are added to steel to produce different alloys. Next post, we will look at the different elements used in EVie’s electrical system.
References:
If you were to look at the St. Louis skyline, you would see a number of buildings with dull green roofs. Some buildings with these green roofs include the Old Courthouse Downtown, St. Louis University Hospital, different buildings on the campus of St. Louis University and the Old Cathedral. Many local churches have green steeples as well. All of these roofs and steeples have one thing in common with the Statue of Liberty. Can you guess what it is? If you said that they are all made from copper, you would be correct. Although around 20% of the copper supply is used for roofing and plumbing (think about the green pipes you see on the outside of old buildings), the majority of copper (60%) is used for something else. Where is the copper on EVie? EVie’s electrical wiring is all copper as is almost all electrical wiring.
Copper is used for electrical wiring for two main reasons. First, copper is ductile. That means copper can be made into wire. Second, copper is an excellent conductor of electricity. That means the electrons have an easier time moving around. Copper is also an excellent conductor of thermal energy (heat) which is why you will often see pots made of cooper.
In the Periodic Table, copper is element 29 and is a metal. The symbol for copper is Cu, which comes from the Latin name for copper, Cuprum, which means metal of Cyprus, where copper was mined in ancient times. Along with being ductile, copper is malleable, meaning it can be hammered into thin sheets. Copper is only one of three metals found on the periodic table that is not gray or silver. Can you name the other two?
Copper Ore
Copper was the first metal that was used by humans to make tools and jewelry. If you add tin to copper, you get the metal bronze. Bronze was so important in human history that an age is named for it. If you combine copper and zinc, you get brass, which is what trumpets and other horns are typically made from.
Around half of the copper used in the United States is recycled copper with copper being 100% recyclable. If not enough copper is recycled for current needs, then new copper must be mined. In the United States, copper mining occurs in the West, with two of the biggest mines located in Arizona and Utah. Copper is mined in Missouri as a byproduct of lead mining. Copper is mined in large open pit mines.
Bingham Canyon Mine, a copper mine in Utah
In terms of human health, copper is an essential nutrient, however too much copper is toxic. In humans, copper assists in the absorption of iron and other various metabolic processes.
Questions to Ponder:
- The U.S. Geological Survey estimates that a person born in 2008 will use 1,309 pounds of copper over their lifetime. How do we balance this need for copper with environmental concerns?
- Copper is typically mined using a method called open pit mining. In open-pit mining, a large hole is dug to expose the copper. What happens to the dirt and rocks that are removed?
References:
There is one element that is crucially important for today’s high tech world. Can you guess what it is? If you guessed silicon, you would be correct. Silicon is used in many different applications. Many of EVie’s parts require silicon. Can you name some of the parts? If you named the microchips that are used in EVie’s computers, her solar panels, and the road she drives on you would be correct. Silicon, or silicon compounds, are probably in other parts of EVie or used to make other EVie parts, such as aluminum.
Silicon is fourteenth element on the Periodic Table. It’s classified as a metalloid, which means it has properties of metals and non-metals. Silicon was isolated as an element in the early 1800s. The name silicon comes from the Latin word for flint, silex.
Silicon
Silicon is made in the cores of massive stars through nuclear fusion. It is one of the last elements made before a star goes supernova. On Earth, silicon is found in the crust. As the Earth formed, the high temperatures were right for silicon and oxygen to form various compounds and became part of the Earth’s crust. Around 28% of the Earth’s crust is made of various silicon compounds.
Because silicon and its various compounds are found in different forms and can be used in different ways, the mining and processing of silicon various according to the original form of silicon and its use. Most of the silicon produced commercially comes from sand.
Activities:
The next time you go outside, keep an eye out for different silica compounds. Some minerals to look for include sand, quartz and obsidian!
References:
Silicon From It’s Elemental
Silicon Elemental Facts This site has some nice videos about Silicon.
Nearly everyone has a cell phone or portable music device today. Twenty years ago, cell phones and portable music devices, known as boomboxes, were quite large. Today’s cell phones and music devices are much smaller thanks to new battery technology and new materials used to make batteries. Specifically, batteries using lithium supply the power for most of these devices.
Lithium is a metal, in fact, it is the lightest metal. It’s so light that lithium actually floats in water. Of course, if you have lithium, you should not mix it with water because lithium reacts with water.
It’s also so soft, you could cut lithium with a knife. Lithium is the third element on the periodic table. It’s symbol is Li. Lithium wasn’t discovered until 1817 and is only found in compounds in nature. This means to get lithium there has to be some processing. The word lithium comes from the Greek word for stone, “lithos,” because lithium compounds were found in rocks, instead of in plants or animals.
In the United States, lithium in large quanities is only found in Nevada. The majority of the world’s lithium is mined in South America. Lithium is found in seawater and is more concentrated near thermal vents. Most mining occurs at salt flats.
Lithium is one of the three elements synthesized in the Big Bang. Lithium is actually in the center of a very interesting cosmological debate. Older stars, those formed soon after the Big Bang, don’t have as much lithium as the theory predicts, while younger stars have much more lithium. Lithium is made via nuclear fusion in the interiors of stars, but is easily broken apart at high temperature.
Why is lithium used for batteries? Lithium is an excellent conductor of electricity. Because lithium is so light weight and is so reactive, a battery made of lithium-ion can be smaller and hold more charge.
Questions to Ponder:
This research papersuggests that given current technology and the amount of lithium produced, there is only enough lithium to make 2 to 3 million electric vehicles per year. In 2010, GM sold 2.2 million cars. How will we get everyone to use electric vehicles if there are not enough materials to satisfy yearly demand?
If we use all the lithium to make electric vehicle batteries, what will we use to replace the lithium used in other applications?
Find Out More:
Activities:
There is a town in Missouri named Lithium. Can you find it on a map? Why do you think the town might have been named Lithium?
To store the electricity from the solar panels, EVie has 12 lead-acid batteries in her cargo area. She also has 2 lead-acid batteries to help get her started and to run her different accessories like the lift-gate. Most cars use lead-acid batteries to start the engine with the starter and to run different accessories. If you have ever had an X-ray, a lead blanket was put over your chest to protect your organs from extra X-rays. The average person uses 11 pounds of lead during the year! But what is lead and where does it come from?
Lead is an element, number 82 on the Periodic Table of Elements. The symbol for lead is Pb, which comes from the Latin name for lead, plumbum. This is the word we get the English word plumbing from! In Roman times, pipes were made with lead.
Pure Lead
Lead is formed in nature two different ways. The first method is from stars and is known as the s-process. In this process, neutrons crash into atomic nuclei decaying into protons while releasing an electron. Adding a proton to a nucleus changes it to the next element on the periodic table. The second way to get lead is from the radioactive decay of uranium. Uranium decays until it forms a stable element, in this case, lead.
Where is lead found on the Earth? Nearly 70% of the world’s lead mining and production occurs in Missouri! Lead has been mined in Missouri since the 1720s. Lead mining in Missouri occurs in the southeastern part, especially St. Francois, Madison, Iron and Reynolds counties. Can you find a town in Missouri named after lead? What about other towns are named after mining? Lead is not found in pure form but rather as an ore. The most common ore in Missouri is galena.
Galena - Missouri's State Mineral
Lead can be recycled, including the lead-acid batteries in a car. Recycling lead only takes a third of the energy needed to produce new iron. Over 80% of lead mined is used in batteries. Nearly all of it (95%) is recycled.
You may have heard on the news or read somewhere that lead is toxic and can cause all kinds of neurological problems. Lead can cause problems if it is inhaled or ingested. The EPA has information about what you can do to reduce your risk of exposure.
Places to Visit:
Missouri Mines State Historic Site Visit an old lead mine and learn about lead mining in Missouri. The Powerhouse Museum has a large collection of minerals to examine, including minerals that glow under blacklights.
References:
Hydrologic Investigations Concerning Lead Mining Issues in Southeastern Missouri
International Lead Association
Origin of the Chemical Elements
Every year, the average person uses 357 lbs of iron ore for things like cars, buildings, solar panels and wind turbines. An average American will use 27,810 pounds of iron over his or her lifetime! Iron ore is the primary component of steel. In fact, 98% of all iron ore is used to make steel. What is iron and where does it come from?
Iron is one of the elements found on the Periodic Table. It’s element 26 and is a metal. If you go to a periodic table and look at element 26, you won’t see iron, you will see Fe, which is ferrum. Ferrum is Latin for iron. One of the many interesting properties of iron is that iron is magnetic, or acts like a magnet.
Elemental Iron
Iron is one of the most common metals found in the Earth’s crust. How iron is mined depends on many different factors, such as the location of the iron ore, what kind of iron ore is being mined and economic concerns. Because iron ores are typically found near the surface, surface mining or pit mining are commonly used to extract irons ores. Iron has been mined in Missouri for over 200 years. In Missouri, iron ore can be found in Washington, Dent, Crawford and Dent counties. The largest and deepest iron mine in Missouri is Pea Ridge Iron Mine, near Sullivan. The iron ore mined here is magnetite.
A piece of magnetite mined in New York
Pea Ridge Iron Mine was 2,700 feet deep (That’s about 0.5 mile!) when it closed in 2001. There is still iron 300 feet below that level! Another area in Missouri where iron mining took place is Pilot Knob. Two old mine shafts found in Pilot Knob National Wildlife Refuge are home to two endangered bat species. If you were to look at a map of Missouri with county names, could you find a place that might have mined iron in the past?
Iron is actually made by nuclear fusion of lighter elements in the cores of high mass stars. Iron is the last element these stars make before they explode in a giant explosion known as a supernova. It’s this explosion that gets the iron out of the center of the star and available to be made into planets.
Iron is also important for good health! Iron is found in hemoglobin, which is the red part of blood. A lack of iron in the diet leads can lead to anemia.
Iron, and things made from iron, such as steel, can be recycled!
Activities and Experiments
Places to Visit
Maramec Springs Park See the ruins of an old iron furnace.
References
Missouri Department of Natural Resources, Division of Geology and Land Survey
Spencer, C. G. (2011). Roadside Geology of Missouri
Hi everyone! Today I’m going to talk about motors. Why are motors important? Well besides helping people do many cool things, I have a motor! Learn More
Before I start talking about energy and all the cool stuff I’m doing, I thought you’d like to know where I came from. I’m actually from Kansas City. A company called Smith Electric Vehicles put me together. Learn More
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Welcome to my blog! I’m EVie! I’m an electric truck and I’m pretty special. You can meet me at the St. Louis Science Center. I’ll be there for the first time during SciFest, October 17-23, 2011. Come and meet me and learn about energy and electric vehicles! Learn More
