Element Properties:60-69 atomic number

NEODYMIUM, GADOLINIUM, TERBIUM, Dysprosium, HOLMIUM,ERBIUM

 

NEODYMIUM

Atomic symbol: Nd

Atomic weight: 144.24

Atomic number: 60

Electron configuration: 2-8-18-22-8-2

Oxidation states: +3

State of matter: solid

Heavy metal, brittle

Discovered in 1885 by Carl Auer von Welsbach

Boils at 3127°C, melts at 1010°C

Notes:

Used in special alloys and glasses, neodymium is a silvery-white color that turns yellow when exposed to air. It is used in electronics and the manufacture of steel in alloys—especially in cigarette lighter flints. In ceramics it is used as a glaze and to color glass. The crude oxide is used to counteract the green color in iron in glass, and the m ore pure compound is used in the manufacture of purple glass.

 

 

GADOLINIUM

Atomicsymbol:Gd

Atomicweight:157.25

Atomicnumber:64

Electronconfiguration:2-8-18-25-9-2

Oxidationstates:+3,+4

Stateofmatter:solid

Heavymetal,brittle

Discoveredin1880byJ.C.GdeMarignacandP.ÉLecoqdeBoisbaudran

Boilsat3223°C,meltsat1311°C

Notes:

Gadoliniumhasasilvery-whitecolorandismoderatelyductile.Itbecomesferromagneticbelow17°C,andnearabsolutezero,becomessuperconducting.Itisusedforsomeelectronics,high-temperaturerefractories, andasanalloyingagent.

 

TERBIUM

Atomic symbol: Tb

Atomic weight: 158.92534

Atomic number: 65

Electron configuration: 2-8-18-27-8-2

Oxidation states: +3

State of matter: solid

Heavy metal, brittle

Discovered in 1843 by Carl Gustaf Mossander

Boils at 3041°C, melts at 1360°C

Notes:

Terbium has a silver-white color. It isarareearthmetaloftheyttriumgroupandamemberofthelanthanideseries.

 

DYSPROSIUM

Atomicsymbol:Dy

Atomicweight:162.500

Atomicnumber:66

Electronconfiguration:2-8-18-28-8-2

Oxidationstates:+3

Stateofmatter:solid

Heavymetal,brittle

Discoveredin1886byP.É.LecoqdeBoisbaudran

Boilsat2335°C,meltsat1409°C

Notes:

Ahardandreactivemetal,dysprosiumhasfewuses.Itscompoundscanbeusedascatalystsinoilrefining,andascomponentsinsomeelectronics.Nearabsolutezero,dysprosiumissuperconducting.

 

HOLMIUM

Atomicsymbol:Ho

Atomicweight:164.93032

Atomicnumber:67

Electronconfiguration:2-8-18-29-8-2

Oxidationstates:+3

Stateofmatter:solid

Heavymetal,brittle

Discoveredin1878byJ.LSoretandM.Delafontaine

Boilsat2720°C,meltsat140°C

Notes:

Holmiumisarareearthmetaloftheyttriumgroupandamemberofthelanthanideseries.Itissilverincolormadeofhexagonalclosepackedcrystals.Itisoneofthemostparamagnetic sourcesknown.

 

ERBIUM

Atomicsymbol:Er

Atomicweight:67.259

Atomicnumber:68

Electronconfiguration:2-8-18-30-8-2

 Oxidationstates:+3

Stateofmatter:solid

Heavymetal,brittle

Discoveredin1843byC.G.Mosander

Boilsat2510°C,meltsat1522°C

Notes:

Erbiumisametalwithfewuses.Itisagrayish-silvercolorandcanbeusedasaninfraredabsorbingglassandasanactivatorinsomephosphorescentmaterials.