Indium

Properties
Atomic symbol |  In
Atomic number |  49
Classification |  Poor Metals
Atomic mass |  114.818 amu
Number of Stable Isotopes |  2
Density (grams per cc) |  7.310 g/cm^3
Other Information
Date of discovery |  1863
Name of discoverer |  Ferdinand Reich and Hieronymous Richter
Name origin |  From the indigo blue it shows in a spectroscope.
Uses |  Used as a coating for high speed bearings, in high-quality mirrors, solar cells, nuclear power regulators, photo cells, thermistors, transistors, and LCD displays. Also employed in low-melting alloys for safety devices.
Obtained from |  Found in some zinc ores, but is primarily produced as a by-product of lead and zinc smelting.

Indium is an element in the "poor metals" class (beyond the transition metals, before the nonmetals) of the periodic table. It is soft and silvery-white. It is stable in air and water, but dissolves in acids. It has two stable isotopes (actually one, but another one has a half-life of over 1014 years).

Indium was discovered spectroscopically (many 19th century element discoveries were made this way) while searching for thallium in zinc ores.

Indium oxide, mixed with a small amount of tin(II) oxide, has the remarkable and very useful property of being a transparent conductor of electricity. This makes it useful as the front electrode of liquid crystal displays (LCD).

Periodic Table of the Elements

1  | 2  | 3  | 4  | 5  | 6  | 7  | 8  | 9  | 10  | 11  | 12  | 13  | 14  | 15  | 16  | 17  | 18

1.008

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |

4.003

6.939

9.0122

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |

10.811

12.011

14.007

15.999

18.998

10.183

22.99

24.312

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |

26.982

28.086

30.974

32.064

35.453

39.948

39.102

40.08

44.956

47.9

50.942

51.996

54.938

55.847

58.933

58.71

63.546

65.37

69.72

72.59

74.922

78.96

79.904

83.8

85.47

87.62

88.905

91.22

92.906

95.94

[97]

101.07

102.91

106.4

107.87

112.4

114.82

118.69

121.75

127.6

126.9

131.3

132.91

137.34

57*

138.91

178.49

180.95

183.85

186.2

190.2

192.2

195.09

196.97

200.59

204.37

207.19

208.98

210

210

222

215

226.03

89**

227.03

104

[261]

105

[262]

106

[266]

107

[264]

108

[265]

109

[268]

110

[271]

111

[272]

112

[277]

113

[284]

114

[289]

115

[288]

116

[292]

117

[293]

118

[294]

|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
*Lanthanides  |

140.12

140.91

144.24

145

150.35

151.96

157.25

158.92

162.5

164.93

167.26

168.93

173.04

174.97

|  |
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |
**Actinides  |

232.04

231

238.03

237.05

239.05

241.06

244.06

249.08

252.08

252.08

100

257.1

101

258.1

102

259.1

103

262.11

|  |
|  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |  |