Indium
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Indium
Indium is a chemical element with the symbol In and atomic number 49. It is a soft, silvery-white metal that is chemically similar to aluminum and gallium. Indium is a relatively rare element, accounting for only about 0.25 parts per million of the Earth's crust. It was first discovered in 1863 by Ferdinand Reich and Hieronymous Theodor Richter while they were examining samples of the mineral zinc blende. Indium has several unique properties that make it useful in a variety of applications. It is a very soft metal, which makes it easy to shape and work with. It is also highly ductile and malleable, meaning it can be easily stretched and shaped into thin wires or sheets. Indium is also a good conductor of electricity and has a low melting point, which makes it useful in electronics and other high-tech industries. One of the most common uses of indium is in the production of flat panel displays. Indium tin oxide (ITO), a transparent conductive material made from indium oxide and tin oxide, is used to make the electrodes in LCD and plasma displays. Indium is also used in the production of semiconductors, solar cells, and other electronic components. Indium has a number of other applications as well. It is used as a coating on bearings and other moving parts to reduce friction and wear. It is also used as a component in some dental alloys and as a radiation shield in nuclear medicine. Indium has even been used in some experimental cancer treatments.
chemical element, soft metal, flat panel displays, semiconductors, radiation shield
Indium on Design+Encyclopedia
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