Chem. [mod.L., irreg. f. ON. Vana-dís one of the names of the Scandinavian goddess Freyja: see -IUM. Named (1830) by the Swedish chemist Sefström, who found it in iron from Taberg near Jönköping.] A rare chemical element (symbol V), occurring in certain iron, lead and uranium ores, some of the compounds of which are used in the production of aniline blacks and other dyeing materials.
The metal was detected by Del Rio in certain Mexican lead ores in 1801, and named by him Erythronium.
1835. Partington’s Brit. Cycl. Arts & Sci., II. 859/1. Vanadium dissolves readily in nitric acid and in aqua regia.
1839. Ure, Dict. Arts, 1263. Vanadium is white, and when its surface is polished, it resembles silver or molybdenum more than any other metal.
1880. H. C. Bartlett, in Times, 23 Oct., 6/1. I would suggest a preparation of aniline with vanadium for the tinted grounds.
attrib. 1849. D. Campbell, Inorg. Chem., 301. The vanadium sulphide precipitates, and gathered, is … roasted in an open crucible till it becomes vanadic acid.
1869. Roscoe, in Phil. Trans., CLVIII. 11. Vanadium dioxide, or vanadyl, V2 O2.
1908. Westm. Gaz., 2 April, 4/2. The material used in its construction (vanadium steel, made in the company’s own works).
