Praseodym
History
The discovery of Neodymium was simultaneously the "birth" of Praseodymium: After Carl Gustav Mosander managed to extract the rare earth Didymium from lanthanum oxide in 1841, about 30 years later Per Teodor Cleve realized that Didymium consisted of two elements. In 1885 von Welsbach succeeded in separating Didymium into Praseodymium and Neodymium.
Properties
The silvery-white, paramagnetic metal in its oxide form is a dark brown to black powder. It is somewhat more corrosion-resistant in air than neodymium but easily forms a green oxide layer that flakes off in air.
| Eigenschaft | Wert |
|---|---|
Schmelzpunkt | 935 °C |
Siedepunkt | 3290°C |
Spezifisches Gewicht | 6,48 g/cm³ |
Massenanteil/Erdhülle | 5,2 ppm |
Farbe | bräunlich |
Jahresproduktion | ca. 4 Mio.t |
Hauptproduzenten | China |
Verwendung | Flugzeugturbinen, stärkste Magneten, Färbung von Emaille, Glas und Porzellan, Energiesparlampen, Cd’s, Abschirmmittel in Reaktoren |
Applications
Praseodymium is used in alloys with magnesium to produce high-strength metal for aircraft engines. The element is also needed for coloring glass and enamel. Since praseodymium improves UV absorption, it is used for protective eyewear. Praseodymium compounds are used for green coloring in crystal glass and for ceramic materials with high electrical conductivity.
Perspectives
Especially in combination with neodymium, experts foresee a bright future for praseodymium. The reason: the addition of praseodymium can significantly enhance the performance of magnets primarily composed of neodymium and even replace neodymium in certain applications.
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