Presence of nano-sized chitosan-layered silicate composites protects against toxicity induced by lead ions.

See more Silicon products. Silicon (atomic symbol: Si, atomic number: 14) is a Block P, Group 14, Period 3 element with an atomic weight of 28.085. The number of electrons in each of Silicon's shells is 2, 8, 4 and its electron configuration is [Ne] 3s² 3p². The silicon atom has a radius of 111 pm and a Van der Waals radius of 210 pm. Silicon was discovered and first isolated by Jöns Jacob Berzelius in 1823. Silicon makes up 25.7% of the earth's crust, by weight, and is the second most abundant element, exceeded only by oxygen. The metalloid is rarely found in pure crystal form and is usually produced from the iron-silicon alloy ferrosilicon. Silica (or silicon dioxide), as sand, is a principal ingredient of glass, one of the most inexpensive of materials with excellent mechanical, optical, thermal, and electrical properties. Ultra high purity silicon can be doped with boron, gallium, phosphorus, or arsenic to produce silicon for use in transistors, solar cells, rectifiers, and other solid-state devices which are used extensively in the electronics industry.The name Silicon originates from the Latin word silex which means flint or hard stone.

See more Lead products. Lead (atomic symbol: Pb, atomic number: 82) is a Block P, Group 14, Period 6 element with an atomic radius of 207.2. The number of electrons in each of Lead's shells is [2, 8, 18, 32, 18, 4] and its electron configuration is [Xe] 4f¹⁴ 5d¹⁰ 6s² 6p². The lead atom has a radius of 175 pm and a Van der Waals radius of 202 pm. In its elemental form, lead has a metallic gray appearance. Lead occurs naturally as a mixture of four stable isotopes: ²⁰⁴Pb (1.48%), ²⁰⁶Pb (23.6%), ²⁰⁷Pb (22.6%), and ²⁰⁸Pb (52.3%). Lead is obtained mainly from galena (PbS) by a roasting process. Anglesite, cerussite, and minim are other common lead containing minerals. Lead does occur as a free element in nature, but it is rare. It is a dense, soft metal that is very resistant to corrosion and poorly conductive compared to other metals. Its density and low melting point make it useful in applications such as electrolysis and industrial materials.