Gallium

Gallium wani sinadarin ƙarfe ne mai alamar Ga da lambar atomic 31 a jadawalin sinadarai. Yana daga cikin rukunin post-transition metals, kuma yana da siffofi na musamman da suka bambanta shi da yawancin sauran ƙarafa. Gallium yana da launin azurfa mai ɗan haske kuma yana da matuƙar laushi a cikin yanayin daki. Ɗaya daga cikin siffofinsa mafi shahara shi ne ƙarancin melting point ɗinsa, bai wuce 29.76 °C, ma’ana yana narkewa a ɗan matsakaicin zafi kaɗan. Sai dai duk da wannan, boiling point ɗinsa yana matuƙar tsayi, yana ɗaya daga cikin mafi tsayi a cikin sinadarai, abin da ke nuna bambanci mai yawa tsakanin zafin narkewa da na tafasar gallium.

Gallium ba ya samuwa zallarsa a cikin yanayi, ana samun sa ne a matsayin ɓangare na sinadaran ores na aluminium da zinc. Yana ɗaya daga cikin sinadarai da ake samarwa kaɗan, amma ake amfani da shi a manyan fasahohi, musamman a fannin lantarki da semiconductor. Gallium arsenide (GaAs) da gallium nitride (GaN) suna daga cikin muhimman ɓangarorin da ake amfani da su wajen ƙera LEDs, laser diodes, da kayan sadarwa na zamani.

Tarihin gano sinadarin gallium

An gano gallium a shekarar 1875 ta hannun masanin kimiyya ɗan ƙasar Faransa, Paul-Émile Lecoq de Boisbaudran. Ya gano shi ne lokacin da yake nazarin spectra na ma’adanan dutse, inda ya lura da sabon layin spectral da bai dace da kowanne sinadari da aka sani a lokacin ba. Wannan sabon layin ya nuna wanzuwar wani sinadari da ba a taɓa sani ba a baya.

Ganon gallium ya zama babban tabbaci ga hasashen Dmitri Mendeleev, wanda ya riga ya hango zai kasance wani sinadari “eka-aluminium” a jadawalin sinadarai tun kafin a gano shi. Mendeleev ya yi hasashen atomic mass, density, melting point, da sauran siffofi, kuma duk bayanan da Boisbaudran ya gano sun kusan dacewa da na Mendeleev. Wannan ya ƙara karfafa tsarin jadawalin sinadarai a idon masana.

Sunansa gallium ya samo asali ne daga kalmar Latin “Gallia” wadda ke nufin Faransa, domin karrama ƙasar da aka gano shi. Wannan sinadari daga baya ya zama muhimmin abu a masana’antar lantarki, musamman bayan ƙirƙirar gallium arsenide (GaAs), wanda ya sauya tsarin wayoyi, lasers, da kayan sadarwa na zamani.

Siffofin sinadarin gallium

Gallium sinadari ne mai ban sha’awa saboda wasu siffofinsa sun bambanta da na yawancin ƙarafa. Yana da launin azurfa mai ɗan launin shuɗi lokacin da yake a siffar ƙarfe, kuma yana da laushi idan ya fara narkewa.

• Launi da kamanni: Gallium yana da launin azurfa mai ɗan walƙiya, amma yana iya zama ɗan shuɗi ko fari idan ya yi sanyi sosai.
• Ƙarfi da laushi: A yanayin cikin ɗaki (room temperature), gallium yana da tauri amma ba sosai ba. Duk da haka, idan ya ɗan yi zafi, yana yin laushi kamar ƙarfen da ake iya murɗawa a sauƙaƙe.
• Narkewa da tafasa: Melting point ɗinsa shi ne 29.76 °C. Wannan yana nuna gallium zai iya narkewa a cikin tafin hannu, domin yanayin ɗaki yana kusa da wannan zafin. Wannan shi ya sa ake ɗaukar shi a matsayin ƙarfen da mutum zai iya narkarwa da hannunsa. Boiling point ɗinsa 2204 °C, akwai bambanci mai yawa tsakanin narkewa da tafasarsa, hakan ya sa gallium ya zama na musamman a kimiyya.
• Nauyi (density): Gallium yana da nauyin 5.91 g/cm³, wato yana cikin sinadarai masu matsakaicin nauyi amma ba irin na ƙarafa masu matuƙar girma kamar lead ko mercury ba.
• Oxidation state: Yana zama ƙarfe a sanyi, amma yana narkewa da sauri idan yanayin zafi ya kai kusan 30 °C. Wannan canji cikin sauƙi ya sa gallium ya zama sinadari da ake amfani da shi wajen nazarin thermal expansion da solid–liquid transitions a kimiyya.
• Ƙara ƙarfi lokacin daskarewa: Abin mamaki, gallium yana faɗaɗa idan ya daskare; haka yake kama da ruwa. Saboda haka, gallium ba za a adana shi cikin mazubin gilashi ba domin zai iya tarwatsa kwalba lokacin da ya daskare.
• Yanayin ƙonewa: Idan aka tafasa gallium sosai a iska, yana iya ƙonewa ya samar da gallium oxide, amma a yanayi na yau da kullum ba ya nuna saurin haɗuwa da iska ko ruwa.
• Lambar atomic da tsarin electrons: Gallium yana da atomic number 31, kuma tsarin electrons ɗinsa shi ne [Ar] 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p¹. Wannan tsarin yana ba shi damar haɗuwa da sinadarai ta hanyar oxidation state +3 (mafi yawa) da kuma wani lokaci +1.
• Yanayin oxidation: Oxidation state mafi karko da galibi ake samu shi ne +3, misali a cikin Ga₂O₃ (gallium oxide). Wannan yana nuni da cewa gallium na da ɗan ƙarancin hulɗa, amma ba mai tsananin sauri ba kamar sodium ko potassium.
• Juriya ga tsatsa: Gallium ba ya tsatsa cikin sauƙi. A yanayi na yau da kullum, yana samar da baƙar oxide layer a samansa wadda ke kare shi. Wannan oxide layer ɗin ce ke rage hulɗarsa da iska ko ruwa.
• Hulɗa da ruwa da iska: Gallium ba ya yin haɗuwa da ruwa a yanayi na al’ada. Ba kamar ƙarfen alkaline ba, ba ya fitar da hydrogen idan ya haɗu da ruwa. A iska kuma ba ya lalacewa da sauri, sai dai idan an tafasa shi sosai.
• Hulɗa da acid da bases: Gallium yana narkewa a cikin acis masu ƙarfi kamar hydrochloric acid da sulfuric acid, inda yake samar da gallium(III) salts. A cikin alkaline solutions (kamar sodium hydroxide – NaOH), gallium na yin haɗuwa ya samar da gallates, wanda ke nuni da cewa gallium amphoteric ne; wato yakan haɗu da acid da base duka.
• Hulɗa da halogens: Gallium na haɗuwa da sinadaran halogens kamar chlorine (Cl₂), bromine (Br₂), da iodine (I₂) don samar da gallium halides irinsu GaCl₃, GaBr₃, da GaI₃. Waɗannan sinadarai suna da amfani a masana’antar ƙera semiconductors.

Rabe-raben isotopes na gallium

Gallium yana da isotopes masu yawa, amma biyu ne suke dawwama (stable), sauran kuma radioactive ne amma suna da amfani a fannin kimiyya da likitanci.

• Gallium (¹⁶⁹Ga)

Wannan shi ne isotope mafi yawa a doron ƙasa, yana ɗaukar kusan 60.1% na dukkan adadin gallium da ake samu. Yana da nuclear stability sosai sannan ana amfani da shi a binciken sinadarai da semiconductor saboda sauƙin nazarinsa. Yana taka muhimmiyar rawa wajen nazarin abubuwan lattice structure a crystal materials

• Gallium (⁷¹Ga)

Shi kuma yana da 39.9%, wato shi ne na biyu a yawan samuwa. Yana da stability sosai, ana kuma amfani da shi wajen yin isotopic tracing a cikin nazarin alloys. Yana taimakawa wajen tantance tsarin gallium a cikin silicon da germanium a semiconductor industry

Isotopes masu lalacewa

Kodayake ba su da ƙarfi sosai, akwai isotopes kamar:

• Gallium (⁶⁷Ga)

Yana daga cikin isotopes mafi muhimmanci a fannin likitanci wanda ake amfani da shi a nuclear medicine wajen diagnostic imaging, musamman don gano cututtuka irin su inflammation, infections, da sauransu. Yana da lokacin rayuwa awanni 78.

• Gallium (⁶⁸Ga)

Yana da amfani sosai a PET scans (Positron Emission Tomography). Ana samar da shi daga “gallium generator” (⁶⁸Ge/⁶⁸Ga generator). Yana taimakawa wajen gano tumors ta hanyar bin yanayin glucose uptake a cell.

• Gallium (⁷²Ga)

Yana da tsawon rayuwa ƙanƙane, bai wuce 14 hours ba, ana amfani da shi a binciken kimiyyar nukiliya da radiotracing

Mahimmancin isotopes ɗin gallium

• Yana taimakawa wajen binciken semiconductor materials, musamman gallium arsenide (GaAs) da gallium nitride (GaN).
• Yana da muhimmanci wajen kimiyyar nukiliya, isotopic tracing, da radiopharmaceuticals.
• Isotopes masu dawwama suna taimaka wa masana wajen fahimtar rayuwar gallium a yanayi da duwatsu.
• Radioisotopes suna da amfani a magungunan zamani, musamman wajen gano cututtuka kafin su yi muni.

Wanzuwar gallium

Gallium ba ya samuwa a doron ƙasa zallarsa, domin ba shi da ƙarfin samar da manyan ores kamar sauran ƙarafa. A maimakon haka, ana samun shi ne a cikin ƙaramin adadi a cikin wasu ma’adanan ƙarfe.

• A cikin duwatsu

Gallium yana samuwa ne a ƙanƙanen adadi a cikin ma’adanan duwatsu daban-daban. Mafi yawan gallium da ake samarwa a duniya yana fitowa ne daga sinadarin bauxite, wanda shi ne babban tushen aluminum.

• A cikin ruwan teku

Gallium yana samuwa a cikin ruwan teku a adadi ƙalilan kamar duwatsu, yawanci daga 0.05 zuwa 0.3 μg/L. Duk da wannan adadi kaɗan ne, amma yana taka muhimmiyar rawa wajen nazarin geochemical cycles na ƙarafa a teku. Masana kimiyya na amfani da wannan hanya don fahimtar yadda ƙarafa ke yawo da motsawa a cikin yanayin teku.

• A yanayin volcano

A wuraren da magma ke tasowa ko kuma a duwatsu masu aman wuta, gallium yana iya wanzuwa a matsayin ɓangare na volcanic glass. Yana fitowa tare da aluminum, silicon, da wasu transition metals, sakamakon zafi mai tsanani da ke taimaka masa shiga cikin matattarar magma. Wannan samuwa ba ta da yawa, amma tana taimakawa wajen fahimtar yadda gallium ke motsi a cikin tsarin geological na duniyar ƙasa.

Ƙasashen da ake samar da gallium a duniya

Yawancin gallium da ake fitarwa na fitowa ne daga gurɓataccen ruwan masana’antar aluminum da zinc. Manyan ƙasashe masu samar da gallium a duniya sun haɗa da:

• China –  babbar mai samarwa
• Russia
• Germany
• Kazakhstan
• Ukraine
• Japan
• South Korea

Wasu ƙasashen kuma suna samar da tataccen gallium daga sauran hanyoyin samar da sinadarin, musamman Faransa da Kanada.

Hanyoyin fitar da gallium

Gallium ba ya fitowa daga ma’adanan dutse kai tsaye saboda adadinsa a cikin ores yana da ƙaranci. Saboda haka, ana samun gallium ne a matsayin ribar ƙafa (by-product), dalilin sarrafa aluminum da zinc. Akwai manyan hanyoyi biyu da ake amfani da su don fitar da gallium daga ores, sannan daga baya a tace shi.

• Fitarwa daga bauxite

Wannan shi ne tushen gallium mafi muhimmanci. A lokacin da ake sarrafa bauxite zuwa aluminum oxide ta hanyar ”Bayer Process”, ana narkar da bauxite cikin sodium hydroxide. A cikin wannan narkewar, gallium yana shiga cikin ruwan haɗin tare da aluminum. Daga nan ana ware shi ta amfani da fasahar electrolysis, ko kuma ta hanyar amfani da ion-exchange resins domin riƙe gallium daga cikin ruwan sarrafawa. Bayan haka, ana rage gallium ions zuwa gallium metal ta hanyar electrolytic deposition, wanda ke samar da gallium tatacce.

• Fitarwa daga sphalerite da zinc

A lokacin da ake tace zinc daga sphalerite ta hanyar hydrometallurgical process, gallium yana taruwa a cikin electrolytic solutions. Ana iya tsame shi ta hanyar amfani da solvent extraction inda ake amfani da sinadarai kamar kelex reagents don ware gallium daga sauran ions. Bayan samun gallium chloride ko gallium hydroxide, ana rage shi ta hanyar electrolysis domin samun ƙarfen gallium tsantsa.

Tace sinadarin gallium

Gallium da aka tattara daga waɗannan hanyoyi yawanci ba a tace yake sosai ba. Saboda haka, ana amfani da hanyoyi na kimiyya kamar zone refining, fractional crystallization, da distillation domin samar da gallium tatacce sosai (99.9999%). Wannan tace gallium da ake yi na da matuƙar muhimmanci a masana’antar lantarki da semiconductor.

Samar da gallium daga shara

Wasu ƙasashe suna samar da gallium daga sharar masana’antu, musamman daga semiconductors kamar GaAs (gallium arsenide) da GaN (gallium nitride). Ana narke waɗannan kayayyaki, a ware arsenic ko nitrogen, sannan a sake samun gallium tatacce.

Matakan kariya yayin sarrafa gallium

Dukkan waɗannan hanyoyin suna buƙatar tsauraran matakan kariya saboda sinadarai masu haɗari kamar sodium hydroxide, chlorine compounds, da acid solutions. Idan ba a kula ba, za su iya haifar da guba ga ma’aikata da lalacewar muhalli.

Amfani da gallium

Gallium yana da amfani mai yawa a fannoni daban-daban saboda siffofinsa na musamman, musamman ƙarancin melting point, juriya ga lalacewa, da kuma samar da semiconductors masu inganci.

• Ƙera semiconductor

Gallium yana daga cikin muhimman sinadarai a masana’antar lantarki. Ana amfani da shi wajen ƙera gallium arsenide (GaAs) da gallium nitride (GaN), waɗanda ake amfani da su a LEDs, laser diodes, high-frequency transistors, da solar cells. GaAs musamman yana ba da damar tunkuɗa lantarki mai ƙarfi cikin sauri.

• Masana’antar lantarki da fasahar sadarwa

Gallium alloys da eutectic mixtures, kamar galinstan, suna amfani wajen samar da thermometers mai ruwa da marar mercury, da cooling fluids a kayan lantarki. Saboda ƙarancin melting point ɗinsa, yana iya zama ruwa a yanayin zafin ɗaki, wanda ke sa ya dace da amfani a cikin kayan lantarki masu ɗaukar zafi.

• Masana’antar makamashi

Gallium na taka muhimmiyar rawa wajen samar da solar panels masu inganci, musamman waɗanda aka ƙera daga GaAs, saboda suna canja hasken rana zuwa wutar lantarki da inganci fiye da silicon.

• Kimiyya da bincike

Ana amfani da gallium a matsayin alloying agent domin ƙara juriya ga lalacewa, da kuma ɓangaren gwaje-gwajen kimiyya da fasaha, musamman wajen nazarin semiconductors da high-temperature applications.

• Fannin kiwon lafiya

Gallium compounds, musamman gallium nitrate, suna da amfani a wasu binciken likitanci da magunguna na cancer therapy saboda suna tsayar da ci gaban wasu kwayoyin cutar dajin. Gallium yana daga cikin sinadarai masu muhimmanci a zamani saboda fasahohin lantarki, makamashi, da kimiyyar zamani.

Illolin gallium

Gallium yana da ƙarancin guba idan aka kwatanta da wasu sinadarai na lantarki da semiconductors. Duk da haka, akwai wasu abubuwa da ya kamata a kula da su:

• Lafiyar jiki

Gallium tsantsa ba shi da guba sosai idan aka taɓa shi ko aka ɗan shaƙi ƙurarsa, amma sinadaran gallium irin su gallium arsenide (GaAs) suna da haɗari. GaAs na iya haifar da allergic reactions, ƙarin haɗarin cututtukan numfashi, da cutar da fata idan an yi hulɗa da shi ba tare da kariya ba.

• Muhalli

Gallium na iya taruwa a cikin ruwa ko ƙasa idan ba a sarrafa shi yadda ya kamata ba, musamman a cikin masana’antar lantarki. Rashin kulawa wajen zubar da gallium alloys ko GaAs na iya haifar da gurbata muhalli da cutar da halittu masu rayuwa a ruwa.

Manazart

Jamwal, N. S., & Kiani, A. (2022, 15 June). Gallium Oxide Nanostructures: A Review of Synthesis, Properties and Applications. Nanomaterials, 12(12), 2061.

Rietveld, L. (2014, 27 August). This Day In Science: Gallium Discovered on August 27, 1875. StressMarq.

Azarov, A., Venkatachalapathy, V., Karaseov, P., Titov, A., Karabeshkin, K., Struchkov, A., & Kuznetsov, A. (2022, 28 April). Interplay of the disorder and strain in gallium oxide. 

Wright, D., Guzman, E., Hossen Bijoy, M. S., Wilson, R. B., Mudiyanselage, D., Fu, H., & Balandin, A. A. (2025, 6 June). Acoustic Phonon Characteristics of Gallium Oxide Single Crystals Investigated with Brillouin-Mandelstam Light Scattering Spectroscopy.

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