Boron Group Element

boron group element, any of the six chemical elements constituting Group 13 (IIIa) of the periodic table. The elements are boron (B), aluminum (Al), gallium (Ga), indium (In), thallium (Tl), and nihonium (Nh). They are characterized as a group by having three electrons in the outermost parts of their atomic structure. Boron, the lightest of these elements, is a metalloid. Aluminum, gallium, indium, and thallium are silvery white metals. Nihonium has only been produced as individual atoms in particle accelerators.

None of these elements was known in a pure state before modern chemistry isolated them. Very soon after a method had been found to produce it in commercial quantities, aluminum revolutionized industry. With further development of science and technology, specifically in nanotechnology, boron gained significant attention in industrial sectors as well. The other members of the group still have little commercial value. Some of the compounds of boron and aluminum, however, are indispensable in modern technology and have been widely used in many parts of the world throughout recorded history.