Yttrium
Itrio (Y, Z=39)
- Date
- 1794 · confidence high
- Place
- Åbo (Turku), Finland
- Credited to
- Johan Gadolin
- People
- 👤 Johan Gadolin1760–1852
- Field
- Matter & energy
What was discovered
Gadolin analysed a black mineral from the Ytterby quarry and found a new earth, yttria: the first step in the long saga of the rare earths.
Ytterby gave its name to four elements: yttrium, ytterbium, terbium and erbium.
What it led to
- The discovery of the Ytterby rare earths (Yb, Er, Tb)
- Red television phosphors (Y2O3:Eu)
- The YBCO superconductor and the YAG laser
Built on
- Ytterby quarry
- Mineral analysis
Made possible
- Nd:YAG laser
- YBCO high-temperature superconductor