If any metal could qualify as revolutionary, vanadium steel would be the strongest candidate to fit the description. No steel alloy has had quite the same impact on the industrial sector as this one.
vanadium steel alloys are the material of choice for building axles, gears and crankshafts. This alloy is valued among steel alloys for its durable nature. Adding a small amount of vanadium to steel instantly boosts the strength of the metal, its toughness and its resistance to heat. It makes vanadium steel one of the great tools for building stronger products.
The reason that vanadium is so effective in alloys is that it is a naturally strong and light weight mineral. In its natural state, vanadium is soft and ductile and it possesses excellent structural strength. Once it was first isolated by Henry E. Roscoe in 1867, it was only a matter of time before the metal sparked a revolution with all of its industrial uses.
Henry Ford (F 11.06 ?1.10%) pioneered the use of vanadium in steel alloys when he used it to construct the chassis in his Ford Model T car. Advertisements of the 1908 Model T boasted that vanadium steel was used throughout the entire car and no other steel could match its strength and endurance.
The Model T served as a catalyst to a revolution and use of vanadium steel spread to other industries in a short time. Ferrovanadium, a vanadium iron alloy, is the most common application of the metal. A great majority of the vanadium drawn from mining is converted into ferrovanadium. It is usually recovered from titanium-bearing magnetite and the ore is processed into a slag. This slag contains 20 to 24 percent vanadium pentoxide. Further refinement produces ferrovanadium which is 40 to 50 percent of the element.
One thing that makes this steel alloy so revolutionary is the fact that it has so many uses. It can be combined with titanium and aluminum to produce a super strong alloy that is used in building jet engines and other parts on high-speed aircraft. Vanadium foil helps clad together titanium and steel. It can be combined with gallum to form a tape used in superconducting magnets.
Even on a chemical level it is supremely important. Vanadium pentoxide is an important component in ceramics and fosters production of sulfuric acid.
Durability is another component that makes vanadium steel so popular. From mining to processing, this light weight metal retains its resistance to things such as salt water, hydrochloric acid and sulfuric acid that cause erosion and oxidation.
It is safe to say vanadium steel is one of the basic tools the industrial sector needs to survive.