UNIVERSITI TEKNOLOGI MARA

KAMPUS PERLIS
FACULTY OF APPLIED SCIENCES
INORGANIC CHEMISTRY
CHM 475
ASSIGNMENT
RAS245
TITLE : IRON AND TITANIUM IN SAPPHIRE
NAME : ROHAYA BINTI MOHMAD SUBOH
GROUP : RAS2452B
LECTURERS NAME : SIR SHUKRI ISMAIL

Transition element

Definition
Any of the metallic elements within Groups 3 through12 in the Periodic Table.
Transition
elements are often referred to as d-block metals. They are defined as elements which form
compounds in which there is an incomplete subshell of d electrons. Scandium (3d 0 in
compounds) and zinc (3d10 in compounds) are excluded by this definition, and copper is only
included in copper(II) (3d9) compounds. It is convenient to include these metals in a treatment of
transition elements, however, on account of the chemical resemblance of their compounds to
transition element compounds.
The characteristic properties of transition elements arise from the incomplete d subshell in either
the atoms or the ions they form. These characteristics include the ability to:

form compounds with the transition element in variable oxidation states

form complex ions

form coloured ions

act as catalysts

exhibit paramagnetism.

Transition metal in periodic table

Sapphire

Figure 1.2 Sapphire

Sapphire in Greek: sappheiros, 'blue stone', which probably referred instead at the time to lapis
lazuli) is a typically blue gemstone variety of the mineral corundum, an aluminium oxide (Al2O3). Trace amounts of elements such as iron, titanium, chromium, copper, or magnesium can
give corundum respectively blue, yellow, purple, orange, or green color. Commonly, sapphires
are worn in jewelry. Sapphires may be found naturally, by searching through
certain sediments due to their resistance to being eroded compared to softer stones or rock
formations

Transition element in sapphire

Figure 1.3 Iron

Iron is a chemical element with symbol Fe (from Latin: ferrum) and atomic number 26. It is
a metal in the first transition series. It is by mass the most common element on Earth, forming
much of Earth's outer and inner core. It is the fourth most common element in the Earth's
crust.Like other group 8 elements, iron exists in a wide range of oxidation states, 2 to +6,
although +2 and +3 are the most common

Figure 1.4 Titanium

A type of metal, which is stronger than steal, but lighter in weight. Titanium is corrosion resistant
and serves many purposes because of its durability. The metal is commonly used in watches and
bracelets. Titanium changes color as the metal's temperature increases. Titanium is identified in
the
periodic table of elements as
TI
and
has
an
atomic
number
of
22.
The application of iron and titanium in sapphire resulted in blue colour sapphire
The Molecular Orbital Theory
The molecular orbital theory describes the paths (orbitals) electrons travel when multiple atoms
(two or more) combine chemically. In order for atoms to combine to molecules, they must share
or exchange electrons.
Most diagrams and textbooks, used to explain orbitals in fundamental chemistry and gemology,
show the orbitals or movements of electrons in 2-dimensional rings. Although that suffies for a
basic understanding, the orbitals are 3-dimensional and electrons move in complex clouds.
An indepth explanation of those orbitals can be very useful in describing this theory but it is a
very complex topic and goes beyond the realm of gemology.

Figure 1.5 Corundum contains a repeating unit of aluminium oxide and is colourless
Charge transfer

Figure 1.6 and 1.7 shows the wavelength of the energy required for the transfer of electros from
Fe2+ to Ti4+ corresponds to yellow light. When light is subtracted from incident white light, the
complementary colour blue results. There can be adjacent pairs in different directions since the
spacing between the atoms is different, so is the energy-level spacing. This leads to blue-green
dichroism.
Corundum that contains a few hundredths of one percent of titanium is colourless. If a similar
amount of iron is present, a very pale yellow color may be seen. If both titanium and iron
impurities are present together, however ,the result is a magnificient deep-blue colour. The
process is called intervalence charge transfer or cooperative charge transfer, which is the transfer
of an electron from one transition metal ion to another.
In some gemstones, the color is caused not by energy changes in a single transition metal ion, but
by the exchange of electrons between two adjacent transition metal ions of differing oxidation
states. The energy needed to transfer an electron from one ion to another corresponds to the
energy of visible light.

The general notation for (blue) sapphire is: Fe2+ + Ti4+ Fe3+ + Ti3+

Charge Transfer in Sapphire .The deep blue color the gemstone sapphire is also based on
impurity doping into Al2O3. The color arises from the following charge transfer excitation: Fe2+
+ Ti4+ Fe3+ + Ti3+ (max ~ 2.2 eV, 570 nm) .The transition is facilitated by the geometry of
the corundum structure where the two ions share an octahedral face, which allows for favorable
overlap of the dz2 orbitals. Unlike the d-d transition in Ruby, the charge transfer excitation in
sapphire is fully allowed. Therefore, the color in sapphire requires only 0.01% impurities,
When light of the appropriate energy strikes the crystal, energy is absorbed, and an electron
moves from the Fe2+ to the Ti4+. Such a movement is called an intervalence transition.

Figure 1.8 Complementary colour

Colours directly opposite each other on the colour wheel are said to be complementary colours.
Blue and yellow are complementary colour.
Conclusion
In conclusion the application of transition metal in sapphire gemstones which are iron and
titanium are needed for formation of coloured compound. The process used is charge transfer.

References
Retrieved on 10 Disember 2015 from http://www.ptable.com/
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title=Causes_of_color
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10
Disember
2015
from
http://scifun.chem.wisc.edu/chemweek/PDF/Gemstones.pdf
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on
10
Disember
2015
from
http://www.chemguide.co.uk/inorganic/complexions/colour.html
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on
10
Disember
2015
from
http://www.businessdictionary.com/definition/titanium.html#ixzz3uVPaBS1t