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Periodic Table
Periodic

Erbium

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Erbium

Atomic Mass	167.259
Electron Configuration	[Xe]6s24f12
Oxidation States	+3
Year Discovered	1843

Erbium

Atomic Mass	167.259
Electron Configuration	[Xe]6s24f12
Oxidation States	+3
Year Discovered	1843

Identifiers

Element Name	Erbium
Element Symbol	Er
InChI	InChI=1S/Er
InChIKey	UYAHIZSMUZPPFV-UHFFFAOYSA-N

Properties

Atomic Weight	167.259(3) 167.259 167.3 167.259(3)
Electron Configuration	[Xe]6s²4f¹²
Atomic Radius	Van der Waals Atomic Radius : 235 pm (Van der Waals) Empirical Atomic Radius : 175pm (Empirical) Covalent Atomic Radius : 189(6) pm (Covalent)
Oxidation States	+3 3, 2, 1 (a basic oxide)
Ground Level	³H₆
Ionization Energy	6.108 eV 6.1077 ± 0.0010 eV
Electronegativity	Pauling Scale Electronegativity : 1.24(Pauling Scale)
Atomic Spectra	Lines Holdings Levels Holdings
Physical Description	Solid
Element Classification	Metal
Element Period Number	6
Element Group Number	- Lanthanide
Density	9.07 grams per cubic centimeter
Melting Point	1802 K (1529°C or 2784°F) 1529°C
Boiling Point	3141 K (2868°C or 5194°F) 2868°C
Estimated Crustal Abundance	3.5 milligrams per kilogram
Estimated Oceanic Abundance	8.7×10^-7 milligrams per liter

History

The name derives from the Swedish town of Ytterby, where the ore gadolinite (in which it was found) was first mined. Erbium was discovered by the Swedish surgeon and chemist Carl-Gustav Mosander in 1843 in a yttrium sample. He separated the yttrium into yttrium, a rose-coloured salt he called terbium and a deep-yellow peroxide that he called erbium.

The mineral gadolinite ((Ce, La, Nd, Y)2FeBe2Si2O10), discovered in a quarry near the town of Ytterby, Sweden, has been the source of a great number of rare earth elements. In 1843, Carl Gustaf Mosander, a Swedish chemist, was able to separate gadolinite into three materials, which he named yttria, erbia and terbia. As might be expected considering the similarities between their names and properties, scientists soon confused erbia and terbia and, by 1877, had reversed their names. What Mosander called erbia is now called terbia and visa versa. From these two substances, Mosander discovered two new elements, terbium and erbium. Today, erbium is primarily obtained through an ion exchange process from the minerals xenotime (YPO4) and euxenite ((Y, Ca, Er, La, Ce, U, Th)(Nb, Ta, Ti)2O6).

Erbium, one of the so-called rare-earth elements on the lanthanide series, is found in the minerals mentioned under dysprosium. In 1842 Mosander separated "yttria" found in the mineral gadolinite, into three fractions which he called yttria, erbia, and terbia. The names erbia and terbia became confused in this early period. After 1860, Mosander's terbia was known as erbia, and after 1877, the earlier known erbia became terbia. The erbia of this period was later shown to consist of five oxides, now known as erbia, scandia, holmia, thulia and ytterbia. By 1905 Urbain and James independently succeeded in isolating fairly pure Er2O3. Klemm and Bommer first produced reasonably pure erbium metal in 1934 by reducing the anhydrous chloride with potassium vapor.

Historical Atomic Weights

Year	Atomic Weight (uncertainty) [u]	Reference
1999	167.259(3)	https://doi.org/10.1351/pac200173040667
1969	167.26(3)	https://doi.org/10.1351/pac197021010091
1961	167.26	https://doi.org/10.1021/ja00881a001
1955	167.27	https://doi.org/10.1021/ja01595a001
1938	167.2	https://doi.org/10.1039/JR9380001101
1931	167.64	https://doi.org/10.1039/JR9310001617
1912	167.7	https://doi.org/10.1021/ja02224a601
1909	167.4	https://doi.org/10.1021/ja01931a001
1902	166	https://doi.org/10.1007/BF01370337

Historical Isotopic Abundances

Year	Isotope	Abundance (uncertainty)	Reference
2001	¹⁶²Er	0.001 39(5)	https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1836764
2001	¹⁶⁴Er	0.016 01(3)	https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1836764
2001	¹⁶⁶Er	0.335 03(36)	https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1836764
2001	¹⁶⁷Er	0.228 69(9)	https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1836764
2001	¹⁶⁸Er	0.269 78(18)	https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1836764
2001	¹⁷⁰Er	0.149 10(36)	https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1836764
1997	¹⁶²Er	0.0014(1)	https://doi.org/10.1351/pac199870010217
1997	¹⁶⁴Er	0.0161(3)	https://doi.org/10.1351/pac199870010217
1997	¹⁶⁶Er	0.3361(35)	https://doi.org/10.1351/pac199870010217
1997	¹⁶⁷Er	0.2293(17)	https://doi.org/10.1351/pac199870010217
1997	¹⁶⁸Er	0.2678(26)	https://doi.org/10.1351/pac199870010217
1997	¹⁷⁰Er	0.1493(27)	https://doi.org/10.1351/pac199870010217
1989	¹⁶²Er	0.0014(1)	https://doi.org/10.1351/pac199163070991
1989	¹⁶⁴Er	0.0161(2)	https://doi.org/10.1351/pac199163070991
1989	¹⁶⁶Er	0.336(2)	https://doi.org/10.1351/pac199163070991
1989	¹⁶⁷Er	0.2295(15)	https://doi.org/10.1351/pac199163070991
1989	¹⁶⁸Er	0.268(2)	https://doi.org/10.1351/pac199163070991
1989	¹⁷⁰Er	0.149(2)	https://doi.org/10.1351/pac199163070991
1979	¹⁶²Er	0.0014(1)	https://doi.org/10.1351/pac198052102349
1979	¹⁶⁴Er	0.0156(6)	https://doi.org/10.1351/pac198052102349
1979	¹⁶⁶Er	0.334(6)	https://doi.org/10.1351/pac198052102349
1979	¹⁶⁷Er	0.229(4)	https://doi.org/10.1351/pac198052102349
1979	¹⁶⁸Er	0.271(6)	https://doi.org/10.1351/pac198052102349
1979	¹⁷⁰Er	0.149(4)	https://doi.org/10.1351/pac198052102349
1975	¹⁶²Er	0.001	https://doi.org/10.1351/pac197647010075
1975	¹⁶⁴Er	0.016	https://doi.org/10.1351/pac197647010075
1975	¹⁶⁶Er	0.334	https://doi.org/10.1351/pac197647010075
1975	¹⁶⁷Er	0.229	https://doi.org/10.1351/pac197647010075
1975	¹⁶⁸Er	0.27	https://doi.org/10.1351/pac197647010075
1975	¹⁷⁰Er	0.15	https://doi.org/10.1351/pac197647010075

Description

The pure metal is soft and malleable and has a bright, silvery, metallic luster. As with other rare-earth metals, its properties depend to a certain extent on the impurities present. The metal is fairly stable in air and does not oxidize as rapidly as some of the other rare-earth metals. Naturally occurring erbium is a mixture of six isotopes, all of which are stable. Nine radioactive isotopes of erbium are also recognized. Recent production techniques, using ion-exchange reactions, have resulted in much lower prices of the rare-earth metals and their compounds in recent years. Most of the rare-earth oxides have sharp absorption bands in the visible, ultraviolet, and near infrared. This property, associated with the electronic structure, gives beautiful pastel colors to many of the rare-earth salts.

Users

Erbium is alloyed with vanadium to make it softer and easier to shape. Erbium is added to fiber optic cables as a doping agent where it is used as a signal amplifier. Erbium also has some uses in the nuclear power industry.

Erbia, the renamed material that Mosander discovered in 1843, is erbium oxide (Er2O3), one of erbium's compounds. Erbia has a pink color and is used to color glass and glazes. Other erbium compounds include: erbium fluoride (ErF3, erbium chloride (ErCl3 and erbium iodide (ErI3).

Erbium is finding nuclear and metallurgical uses. Added to vanadium, for example, erbium lowers the hardness and improves workability. Erbium oxide gives a pink color and has been used as a colorant in glasses and porcelain enamel glazes.

Compounds

See more information at the Erbium compound page.

Element Forms

CID	Name	Formula	SMILES	Molecular Weight
23980	erbium	Er	[Er]	167.26
3779597	erbium(3+)	Er+3	[Er+3]	167.26
161153	erbium-169	Er	[169Er]	168.934598
177431	erbium-171	Er	[171Er]	170.93804
177481	erbium-168	Er	[168Er]	167.932378
177526	erbium-161	Er	[161Er]	160.93000
177635	erbium-170	Er	[170Er]	169.93547
178160	erbium-165	Er	[165Er]	164.930733
177497	erbium-166	Er	[166Er]	165.930301
177697	erbium-172	Er	[172Er]	171.93936
131708394	erbium-162	Er	[162Er]	161.928787
131708395	erbium-164	Er	[164Er]	163.929208
131708396	erbium-167	Er	[167Er]	166.932056

Isotopes

Stable Isotope Count	6

Isotopes in Biology

Radiolabeled 171Er (with a half-life of 7.5 h) tablets have been used to study bowel movements of individuals using external scintigraphy. Such tablets have an enteric coating and contain small amounts of stable erbium oxide (170Er) initially. The tablets are then irradiated at a low neutron flux to produce radioactively labeled 171Er tablets, via the 170Er (n, γ) 171Er reaction. This method is a noninvasive approach for determining gastric emptying rates and visualizing segments of the digestive system in an individual [479], [480].

[479] A. Parr, R. M. Beihn, M. Jay. Int. J. Pharm.32, 251 (1986).

[480] M. C. Theodorakis. Am. Physiol. Soc. Gastrointest. Liver Physiol.239, G39 (1980).

Isotopes in Medicine

169Er (with a half-life of 9.4 days) is used in radiosynovectomy, which is a regularly practiced radiotherapy, on rheumatoid arthritis patients whose condition is resistant to standard methods of treatment (Fig. IUPAC.68.1). Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic, inflammatory, autoimmune disease of the joint capsule (synovial sac), which is lined with a thin membrane called the synovium, of an individual’s moveable joints (synovial joints). In radiosynovectomy, the radiopharmaceutical called 169Er- citrate colloid, which contains colloidal particles that are labeled with β-emitting 169Er, is directly injected into the synovial cavity (the cavity between the bones in a moveable joint inside of the synovium) of the affected joint. These radioactive-colloid particles are then phagocytized (engulfed) by macrophage-like synoviocytes as well as other phagocytizing inflammatory cells in the patient’s synovium. Necrosis (tissue death) and the inhabitation of cell proliferation (increase in number of cells) result from the radiation of the synovium and therefore, temporarily halts synovitis (which is the condition of when the synovium thickens with inflammation) and improves synovial joint function [481], [482], [483], [484].

Fig. IUPAC.68.1: Normal joint (top) vs. joint affected by rheumatoid arthritis (bottom) (modified from [485]).

[481] F. M. van der Zanta, Z. N. Jahangierb, G. G. M. Gommansa, J. D. Moolenburghc, J. W. G. Jacobs. Appl. Radiat. Isot.65, 649 (2007).

[482] S. J. Kim, K. A. Jung. Clin. Med. Res.5, 244 (2007).

[483] M. E. A. McNeil. The First Year Rheumatoid Arthritis: An Essential Guide for the Newly Diagnosed, Marlowe & Company, New York, NY (2005).

[484] G. Prabhakar, S. S. Sachdev, N. Sivaprasad. Pharma Times41, 11 (2009).

[485] National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. Normal Joint Versus Joint Affected by Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Isotope Mass and Abundance

Isotope	Atomic Mass (uncertainty) [u]	Abundance (uncertainty)
¹⁶²Er	161.928 787(6)	0.001 39(5)	0.00139(5)
¹⁶⁴Er	163.929 207(5)	0.016 01(3)	0.01601(3)
¹⁶⁶Er	165.930 299(8)	0.335 03(36)	0.33503(36)
¹⁶⁷Er	166.932 054(8)	0.228 69(9)	0.22869(9)
¹⁶⁸Er	167.932 376(8)	0.269 78(18)	0.26978(18)
¹⁷⁰Er	169.935 47(1)	0.149 10(36)	0.14910(36)

Atomic Mass, Half Life, and Decay

Nuclide	Atomic Mass and Uncertainty [u]	Half Life and Uncertainty	Discovery Year	Decay Modes, Intensities and Uncertainties [%]
¹⁴²Er	141.970016 ± 0.000537 [Estimated]	10 us [Estimated]		p ?
¹⁴³Er	142.966548 ± 0.000429 [Estimated]	200 ms [Estimated]	2005	β⁺ ?; β⁺p ?
¹⁴⁴Er	143.960700 ± 0.00021 [Estimated]	400 ms >200ns [Estimated]	2003	β⁺ ?
¹⁴⁵Er	144.957874 ± 0.000215 [Estimated]	900 ms ± 200	1989	β⁺=100%; β⁺p=?
¹⁴⁵Er^m	144.957874 ± 0.000215 [Estimated]	1.0 s ± 0.3	2010	β⁺=100%; IT ?; β⁺p=?
¹⁴⁶Er	145.952418357 ± 0.000007197	1.7 s ± 0.6	1993	β⁺=100%; β⁺p=?
¹⁴⁷Er	146.949964456 ± 0.000041	3.2 s ± 1.2	1992	β⁺=100%; β⁺p=?
¹⁴⁷Er^m	146.949964456 ± 0.000041	1.6 s ± 0.2	1982	β⁺=100%; β⁺p=?
¹⁴⁸Er	147.944735026 ± 0.000011	4.6 s ± 0.2	1982	β⁺=100%; β⁺p≈0.15%
¹⁴⁸Er^m	147.944735026 ± 0.000011	13 us ± 3	1982	IT=100%
¹⁴⁹Er	148.942306000 ± 0.00003	4 s ± 2	1984	β⁺=100%; β⁺p=7±0.2%
¹⁴⁹Er^m	148.942306000 ± 0.00003	8.9 s ± 0.2	1984	β⁺=96.5±0.7%; IT=3.5±0.7%; β⁺p=0.18±0.7%
¹⁴⁹Erⁿ	148.942306000 ± 0.00003	610 ns ± 80	1987	IT=100%
¹⁴⁹Er^p	148.942306000 ± 0.00003	4.8 us ± 0.1	1987	IT=100%
¹⁵⁰Er	149.937915524 ± 0.000018458	18.5 s ± 0.7	1982	β⁺=100%
¹⁵⁰Er^m	149.937915524 ± 0.000018458	2.55 us ± 0.10	1984	IT=100%
¹⁵¹Er	150.937448567 ± 0.000017681	23.5 s ± 2.0	1970	β⁺=100%
¹⁵¹Er^m	150.937448567 ± 0.000017681	580 ms ± 20	1980	IT=95.3±0.3%; β⁺=4.7±0.3%
¹⁵¹Erⁿ	150.937448567 ± 0.000017681	420 ns ± 50	1990	IT=100%
¹⁵²Er	151.935050347 ± 0.000009478	10.3 s ± 0.1	1963	α=90±0.4%; β⁺=10±0.4%
¹⁵³Er	152.935086350 ± 0.000009967	37.1 s ± 0.2	1963	α=53±0.3%; β⁺=47±0.3%
¹⁵³Er^m	152.935086350 ± 0.000009967	373 ns ± 9	1979	IT=100%
¹⁵³Erⁿ	152.935086350 ± 0.000009967	248 ns ± 32	1979	IT=100%
¹⁵⁴Er	153.932790799 ± 0.000005325	3.73 m ± 0.09	1963	β⁺≈100%; α=0.47±1.3%
¹⁵⁵Er	154.933215710 ± 0.00000652	5.3 m ± 0.3	1969	β⁺=99.978±0.7%; α=0.022±0.7%
¹⁵⁶Er	155.931065926 ± 0.00002644	19.5 m ± 1.0	1967	β⁺=100%; α=1.2e-5±0.3%
¹⁵⁷Er	156.931922652 ± 0.000028454	18.65 m ± 0.10	1966	β⁺=100%
¹⁵⁷Er^m	156.931922652 ± 0.000028454	76 ms ± 6	1971	IT=100%
¹⁵⁸Er	157.929893474 ± 0.000027074	2.29 h ± 0.06	1961	ε=100%
¹⁵⁹Er	158.930690790 ± 0.00000391	36 m ± 1	1962	β⁺=100%
¹⁵⁹Er^m	158.930690790 ± 0.00000391	337 ns ± 14	1971	IT=100%
¹⁵⁹Erⁿ	158.930690790 ± 0.00000391	590 ns ± 60	1971	IT=100%
¹⁶⁰Er	159.929077193 ± 0.000026029	28.58 h ± 0.09	1954	ε=100%
¹⁶¹Er	160.930003530 ± 0.000009419	3.21 h ± 0.03	1954	β⁺=100%
¹⁶¹Er^m	160.930003530 ± 0.000009419	7.5 us ± 0.7	1969	IT=100%
¹⁶²Er	161.928787299 ± 0.000000811	Stable >140Ty	1938	IS=0.139±0.5%; α ?; 2β⁺ ?
¹⁶²Er^m	161.928787299 ± 0.000000811	88 ns ± 16	1974	IT=100%
¹⁶³Er	162.930039908 ± 0.000004967	75.0 m ± 0.4	1953	β⁺=100%
¹⁶³Er^m	162.930039908 ± 0.000004967	580 ns ± 100	1974	IT=100%
¹⁶⁴Er	163.929207739 ± 0.000000755	Stable	1938	IS=1.601±0.3%; α ?; 2β⁺ ?
¹⁶⁵Er	164.930733482 ± 0.000000985	10.36 h ± 0.04	1950	ε=100%
¹⁶⁵Er^m	164.930733482 ± 0.000000985	250 ns ± 30	1970	IT=100%
¹⁶⁵Erⁿ	164.930733482 ± 0.000000985	370 ns ± 40	2012	IT=100%
¹⁶⁶Er	165.930301067 ± 0.000000358	Stable	1934	IS=33.503±3.6%
¹⁶⁷Er	166.932056192 ± 0.000000306	Stable	1934	IS=22.869±0.9%
¹⁶⁷Er^m	166.932056192 ± 0.000000306	2.269 s ± 0.006	1986	IT=100%
¹⁶⁸Er	167.932378282 ± 0.00000028	Stable	1934	IS=26.978±1.8%
¹⁶⁸Er^m	167.932378282 ± 0.00000028	109.0 ns ± 0.7	1974	IT=100%
¹⁶⁹Er	168.934598444 ± 0.000000326	9.392 d ± 0.018	1956	β^-=100%
¹⁶⁹Er^m	168.934598444 ± 0.000000326	285 ns ± 20	1969	IT=100%
¹⁶⁹Erⁿ	168.934598444 ± 0.000000326	200 ns ± 10	1969	IT=100%
¹⁷⁰Er	169.935471933 ± 0.000001488	Stable >410Py	1934	IS=14.910±3.6%; 2β^- ?; α ?
¹⁷¹Er	170.938037372 ± 0.000001511	7.516 h ± 0.002	1938	β^-=100%
¹⁷¹Er^m	170.938037372 ± 0.000001511	210 ns ± 10	1969	IT=100%
¹⁷²Er	171.939363461 ± 0.000004253	49.3 h ± 0.5	1956	β^-=100%
¹⁷²Er^m	171.939363461 ± 0.000004253	579 ns ± 62	2006	IT=100%
¹⁷³Er	172.942400 ± 0.00021 [Estimated]	1.434 m ± 0.017	1972	β^-=100%
¹⁷⁴Er	173.944230 ± 0.00032 [Estimated]	3.2 m ± 0.2	1989	β^-=100%
¹⁷⁴Er^m	173.944230 ± 0.00032 [Estimated]	3.9 s ± 0.3	2006	IT=100%
¹⁷⁵Er	174.947770 ± 0.00043 [Estimated]	1.2 m ± 0.3	1996	β^-=100%
¹⁷⁶Er	175.949940 ± 0.00043 [Estimated]	12 s >300ns [Estimated]	2012	β^- ?
¹⁷⁷Er	176.953990 ± 0.00054 [Estimated]	8 s >300ns [Estimated]	2012	β^- ?
¹⁷⁸Er	177.956779 ± 0.00064 [Estimated]	4 s >300ns [Estimated]	2012	β^- ?
¹⁷⁹Er	178.961267 ± 0.000537 [Estimated]	3 s >550ns [Estimated]	2018	β^- ?; β^-n ?
¹⁸⁰Er	179.964380 ± 0.000537 [Estimated]	2 s >550ns [Estimated]	2018	β^- ?; β^-n ?

Information Sources

1. PubChem

https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
2. Atomic Mass Data Center (AMDC), International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA)

LICENSE
https://www-nds.iaea.org/disclaimer.html

Er
https://www-nds.iaea.org/amdc/
3. IUPAC Commission on Isotopic Abundances and Atomic Weights (CIAAW)

LICENSE
http://www.ciaaw.org/bylaws.htm

Erbium
https://www.ciaaw.org/erbium.htm
4. Jefferson Lab, U.S. Department of Energy

LICENSE
Please see citation and linking information https https://www.jlab.org/privacy-and-security-notice

Erbium
https://education.jlab.org/itselemental/ele068.html
5. Los Alamos National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy

LICENSE
https://about.lanl.gov/lanl-resources/web-policies/

Erbium
https://periodic.lanl.gov/68.shtml
6. NIST Physical Measurement Laboratory

LICENSE
https://www.nist.gov/pml/database-disclaimer

Erbium
https://physics.nist.gov/cgi-bin/Elements/elInfo.pl?element=68
7. IUPAC Periodic Table of the Elements and Isotopes (IPTEI)

LICENSE
Copyright (c) 2020 International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry. The International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry (IUPAC) contribution within Pubchem is provided under a CC-BY-NC-ND 4.0 license, unless otherwise stated.
https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/

https://doi.org/10.1515/pac-2015-0703
8. PubChem Elements

LICENSE
https://www.nlm.nih.gov/copyright.html

Erbium

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