One tiny village in Sweden gave its name to four chemical elements — and ytterbium is one of them. It's a soft, silvery metal from the lanthanide family that melts at 819 °C and has a density of 6.9 g/cm³. Looks like an unremarkable chunk of metal, but it keeps the most accurate time in the universe.
Ytterbium atomic clocks won't lose a single second in 15 billion years. That's more precise than the age of the universe itself. Ytterbium also hides inside ultra-powerful fiber lasers that slice through steel like butter. A rare element — but an extraordinarily useful one.
Ytterbium was discovered by Swiss chemist Jean Charles Galissard de Marignac in 1878, who isolated a new component from the mineral erbia. In pure form, it's a soft metal that slowly oxidizes in air. It boasts seven stable isotopes — a record among heavy lanthanides. Two stable valence states (+2 and +3) make it chemically versatile. Today, ytterbium is mined primarily in China, which controls over 60% of the world's rare-earth reserves.
Bulk ytterbium metal is relatively safe to handle. However, finely powdered ytterbium is a fire hazard — it can spontaneously ignite in air. Ytterbium compounds may irritate skin and eyes. The metal should be stored in sealed containers under argon or nitrogen to prevent oxidation. When working with powder, gloves, safety goggles, and fume extraction are mandatory.
An ytterbium atomic clock won't lose a second in 15 billion years. That's more precise than the age of the universe — which has only existed for 13.8 billion years.
Four elements — ytterbium, yttrium, terbium, and erbium — are all named after one village: Ytterby in Sweden. No other place on Earth holds that record.
Ytterbium fiber lasers reach up to 100 kW and can cut 30-mm steel. They're used in shipbuilding and aerospace manufacturing.
Ytterbium is one of the few lanthanides with two stable valence states (+2 and +3). This makes it useful for unusual chemical reactions.
Over 95% of the world's ytterbium comes from China. This makes it a strategically important resource and a subject of geopolitical disputes.
Ytterbium compounds are used in dental ceramics. They make crowns stronger and more resistant to cracking.
| Isotope | Mass (u) | Abundance | Half-life | Decay |
|---|---|---|---|---|
168Yb | 167.933897 | 0.13% | stable | — |
170Yb | 169.934762 | 3.04% | stable | — |
171Yb | 170.936326 | 14.28% | stable | — |
172Yb | 171.936382 | 21.83% | stable | — |
173Yb | 172.938211 | 16.13% | stable | — |
174Yb | 173.938862 | 31.83% | stable | — |
176Yb | 175.942572 | 12.76% | stable | — |
Separation from erbia