vanadium Chem.
(vəˈneɪdɪəm)
[mod.L., irreg. f. ON. Vana-d{iacu}s one of the names of the Scandinavian goddess Freyja: see -ium. Named (1830) by the Swedish chemist Sefström, who found it in iron from Taberg near Jönköping.]
A rare chemical element (symbol V), occurring in certain iron, lead, and uranium ores, some of the compounds of which are used in the production of aniline blacks and other dyeing materials.
The metal was detected by Del Rio in certain Mexican lead ores in 1801, and named by him Erythronium.
| 1833 Rep. Brit. Assoc. Adv. Sci. 1832–3 468 Vanadium..was discovered by Sefström towards the end of 1830, in the iron from the forges of Eckersholm in Sweden. 1835 Partington's Brit. Cycl., Arts & Sci. II. 859/1 Vanadium dissolves readily in nitric acid and in aqua regia. 1839 Ure Dict. Arts 1263 Vanadium is white, and when its surface is polished, it resembles silver or molybdenum more than any other metal. 1880 Times 23 Oct. 6/1, I would suggest a preparation of aniline with vanadium for the tinted grounds. |
| attrib. 1849 D. Campbell Inorg. Chem. 301 The vanadium sulphide precipitates, and gathered, is..roasted in an open crucible till it becomes vanadic acid. 1869 Roscoe in Phil. Trans. CLVIII. 11 Vanadium dioxide, or vanadyl, V2O2. 1908 Westm. Gaz. 2 Apr. 4/2 The material used in its construction (vanadium steel, made in the company's own works). |