F. Habashi
2013
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Abstract
Indium is a silvery-white low-melting-point metal belonging to the less typical metals group, i.e., when it loses its outermost electrons, it will not have the electronic structure of inert gases; hence, it will not be reactive as the typical metals. It is softer than lead, ductile, malleable, and retains its plastic properties at cryogenic temperatures. It becomes superconducting at 3.37 K. It does not form its own minerals but is found in trace amounts in many minerals, e.g., sphalerite, ZnS. Low-melting alloys represent a major use of indium. Indium has the highest solubility in mercury [57%].