INTRODUCTION
Neodymium from the Greek word neos + didymos, 'new twin', is a silvery metallic element, and one of the rare earth elements in the lanthanide series. It ranks about 27th in order of abundance of the elements in Earth's crust.
Neodymium and praseodymium had previously been regarded as a single element, called didymium. It was separated from praseodymium in 1885.
BASIC INFORMATIONS
- Atomic Number
- 60
- Atomic Mass
- 144.242
- Atomic radius
- 0.164
- Ionization energy
- 1st,2nd,3rd (3705)
- Electronic config
- 2,8,18,22,8,2
- Principal Valency
- +2
- Density g/cm³
- 7.00
- Melting point °C
- 1024
- Boiling point °C
- 3074
- Type of Element
- Metal
- Electronegativity
- N/A
- Element Category
- Lanthanide series
- Appearance
- Silvery solid
- Block
- f-block
- Period
- 8
- Group
- 7
- No of Isotopes
- 38
- Occurrence
- combine form
- Abundance in ppm
- 40
- Year of Discovery
- 1885
EXTRACTION
It is obtain by ion exchange process
OXIDATION STATES
+3,+2,+1 (Mildly basic)
MAJOR SOURCE
Monazit, Bastnasite, Cerite
EXAMPLES OF COMPOUND PRESENT
Neodyl oxide, Neodyl Fluoride
ECONOMIC IMPORTANCE
* Neodymium metal oxide, is used in the glass of color-television tubes to increase contrast, and in lasers.
* Neodymium is added to some glasses to counteract the yellowish tint caused by iron impurities
* Very pure neodymium oxide, when added in sufficient quantities, gives a beautiful purple glass.
* Neodymium and praseodymium are added to glass to make welders' and glassblowers' goggles, that absorb the bright-yellow light from the sodium flame.
