Lead is a bluish-white metal of bright luster, naturally occurring as a mixture of four stable isotopes: 204Pb (1.48%), 206Pb (23.6%), 207Pb (22.6%), and 208Pb (52.3%). It is highly resistant to corrosion and can be used to contain corrosive liquids such as sulfuric acid. Great quantities of Lead, both as the dioxide and the metal, are used in batteries, cable covering, plumbing, and ammunition. Alloys include solder, type metal, and various antifriction metals and compounds. Lead is extremely effective at absorbing sound and vibration. It is also used as radiation shielding for X-ray equipment and nuclear reactors. Oxides of Lead are used in producing fine "crystal glass" and "flint glass" of a high index of refraction for achromatic lenses. Lead ceramics and crystalline material have a wide range of industrial and optical applications, including infrared detection and imaging. Lead Antimonide, Lead Selenide, and Lead Telluride are available in several crystalline forms, including sputtering targets used for thin film deposition. White lead, the basic carbonate, sublimed white lead, chrome yellow, and other lead compounds are used in paints, although the use of lead in paints has been drastically curtailed in recent years to reduce health hazards. Lead is available as metal and compounds with purities from 99% to 99.9999% (ACS grade to ultra-high purity).  Lead is also used in various metal alloys (See AE Alloys).

Lead facts, including appearance, CAS #, and molecular formula and safety data, research and properties are

(click on an element)

Oxides are available in forms including powders and dense pellets for such uses as optical coating and thin film applications. Oxides tend to be insoluble. Fluorides are another insoluble form for uses in which oxygen is undesirable such as metallurgy, chemical and physical vapor deposition and in some optical coatings. Lead is available in soluble forms including chlorides, nitrates and acetates. These compounds are also manufactured as solutions at specified stoichiometries.

All elemental metals, compounds and solutions may be synthesized in ultra high purity (e.g. 99.999%) for laboratory standards, advanced electronic, metallurgy and optical materials and other high technology advantages. Information is provided for stable (non-radioactive) isotopes. Organo-Metallic Lead compounds are soluble in organic or non-aqueous solvents. See Analytical Services for information on available certified chemical and physical analysis techniques including MS-ICP, X-Ray Diffraction, PSD and Surface Area (BET) analysis.

Lead was first discovered by Early Man.

Plomb

Blei

Piombo

Chumbo

Plomo

Bly

Abundance. The following table shows the abundance of lead and each of its naturally occurring isotopes on Earth along with the atomic mass for each isotope.