Beyond Atomic Numbers - Every Element Has a Story
58.933
9
4
D Block
Transition Metal
Cobalt was discovered in 1735 by the Swedish chemist Georg Brandt. He proved that the beautiful blue colour in glass was produced by cobalt and not by bismuth, as previously believed.
Cobalt occurs naturally in minerals such as cobaltite, erythrite and skutterudite. It is commonly obtained as a by-product during the mining of nickel and copper ores.
Group 9 | Period 4 | D Block | Transition Metal
Cobalt is used in rechargeable batteries, aerospace superalloys, powerful magnets, catalysts, pigments and medical radiation sources.
Nickel, Iron, Lithium and Oxygen
Cobalt slowly reacts with oxygen at high temperatures and dissolves in dilute mineral acids, forming various cobalt salts.
Electronic Configuration: [Ar] 3d⁷ 4s²
Cobalt retains its strength even at very high temperatures, making it essential for jet engines, gas turbines and high-performance industrial equipment.
For centuries, cobalt compounds have been used to produce brilliant blue colours in glass, ceramics and porcelain.
Cobalt is an important component in many lithium-ion batteries used in smartphones, laptops and electric vehicles. It improves battery stability, safety and energy density.
Cobalt compounds produce one of the world's most beautiful blue pigments. Cobalt blue has been used by artists for centuries in paintings, glass, ceramics and decorative tiles because of its brilliant colour and excellent durability.
The radioactive isotope cobalt-60 is widely used in cancer radiotherapy, sterilizing medical equipment and preserving food by destroying harmful microorganisms.
Cobalt is used to manufacture powerful permanent magnets such as samarium-cobalt magnets, which operate reliably at high temperatures in aerospace and military applications.
Cobalt-based superalloys are used in jet engines and gas turbines because they maintain their strength and resist oxidation even at extremely high temperatures.
Researchers are developing cobalt-containing battery materials, hydrogen production catalysts, fuel cells and next-generation energy-storage technologies.
Cobalt is produced during supernova explosions and stellar nucleosynthesis. Tiny amounts of cobalt are found in meteorites that preserve information about the formation of our Solar System.
The name Cobalt comes from the German word Kobold, meaning "goblin." Early miners blamed mysterious poisonous fumes from cobalt-containing ores on underground goblins.