Niobium (Nb) is naturally occurring refractory transition metal, with impressive characteristics:
- High heat resistance
- High durability
- Highly stable
Despite niobium’s relatively high melting point, its density is the lowest of all refractory metals, which can make it appealing to the aircraft and jet engine industries. These properties have led to the use of niobium in the manufacturing process of a wide array of products and technologies. In its most stable form (Nb2O5), small amounts of niobium have been shown to demonstrate high stability and durability for use in technological applications including high-strength alloy steel, batteries material, solar panels, MRI and optical glass to name a few. Niobium is predominately used in the steel industry as ferroniobium to create high strength low alloy steels. As high strength low alloy steel, ferroniobium is used in pipelines, structures, automobiles, and stainless steel.