Abstract
THE polarographic reduction of niobium in concentrated hydrochloric acid1, and in oxalate and tartrate solutions (ref. 2 and Mrs. B. Lamb, private communication), has been shown to be due to reduction of Nb(V) to Nb(IV). Reductions in these media are, however, irreversible. Recent studies on the precipitation of niobium with tannic acid from various complexing solutions (G. W. C. Milner, G. A. Barnett and A. A. Smales, unpublished work) in this laboratory have indicated that niobium forms complexes with malic, citric, lactic and ethylenediamine-tetra-acetic acids. We have found polarographic steps corresponding to the reduction of these complexes.
This is a preview of subscription content, access via your institution
Access options
Subscribe to this journal
Receive 51 print issues and online access
$199.00 per year
only $3.90 per issue
Buy this article
- Purchase on SpringerLink
- Instant access to full article PDF
Prices may be subject to local taxes which are calculated during checkout
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Cozzi, D., and Vivarelli, S., Ricerca sci., 23, 2244 (1953).
Elson, R. E., J. Amer. Chem. Soc., 75, 4193 (1953).
Ferrett, D. J., and Milner, G. W. C., Analyst, [80, 132 (1955)].
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
FERRETT, D., MILNER, G. Reversible Polarographic Reduction of Niobium. Nature 175, 477 (1955). https://doi.org/10.1038/175477a0
Issue date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/175477a0
