Neodymium
Updated: April 27, 2021, 8:33 pm
Aurhot: C. Michael Hogan
Author: Mineral Information Institute,
| Topics: |
Neodymium is a rare earth chemical element.. It is a hard, somewhat malleable silvery metal that tarnishes rapidly when exposed to atmospheric air or moisture. Oxidized, neodymium reacts swiftly to yield a pink, purple/blue an, d yellow compounds in the +2, +3 and +4 oxidation states. Neodymium was discovered in 1885 by Austrian chemist Carl Auer von Welsbach.
Occurrence and Use
It is present in the ores monazite and bastnäsite. Neodymium is not found naturally in metallic form or unmixed with other lanthanides, and it is typically refined for ultimate use. Neodymium is important to the manufacture of electric vehicle batteries; most of the world's reserves are mined in China, where most of the world's electric vehicle batteries are manufactured. Neodymium is also used in laser technology, plasma technology and warheads in high technology weaponry.
| Previous Element: Praseodymium Next Element: Promethium |
| |
| Physical Properties | ||
|---|---|---|
| Color | silvery-white | |
| Phase at Room Temp. | solid | |
| Density (g/cm3) | 7.003 | |
| Hardness (Mohs) | --- | |
|
Melting Point (K) |
1283.2 | |
|
Boiling Point (K) |
3300 | |
| Heat of Fusion (kJ/mol) | 7.1 | |
| Heat of Vaporization (kJ/mol) | 289 | |
| Heat of Atomization (kJ/mol) | 328 | |
| Thermal Conductivity (J/m sec K) | 16.5 | |
| Electrical Conductivity (1/mohm cm) | 15.4 | |
| Source | Monazite (phosphate), bastnaesite | |
| Atomic Properties | ||
| Electron Configuration | [Xe]6s24f4 | |
|
Number of Isotopes |
41 (7 natural) | |
| Electron Affinity (kJ/mol) | 50 | |
| First Ionization Energy (kJ/mol) | 529.6 | |
| Second Ionization Energy (kJ/mol) | 1035 | |
| Third Ionization Energy (kJ/mol) | 2130 | |
| Electronegativity | 1.14 | |
| Polarizability (Å3) | 31.4 | |
| Atomic Weight | 144.24 | |
| Atomic Volume (cm3/mol) | 20.6 | |
| Ionic Radius2- (pm) | --- | |
| Ionic Radius1- (pm) | --- | |
| Atomic Radius (pm) | 181 | |
| Ionic Radius1+ (pm) | --- | |
| Ionic Radius2+ (pm) | --- | |
| Ionic Radius3+ (pm) | 112.3 | |
| Common Oxidation Numbers | +3 | |
| Other Oxid. Numbers | +2 | |
| Abundance | ||
| In Earth's Crust (mg/kg) | 4.15x101 | |
| In Earth's Ocean (mg/L) | 2.8x10-6 | |
| In Human Body (%) | --- | |
| Regulatory / Health | ||
| CAS Number | 7440-00-8 | |
| OSHA Permissible Exposure Limit (PEL) | No limits | |
| OSHA PEL Vacated 1989 | No limits | |
|
NIOSH Recommended Exposure Limit (REL) |
No limits | |
|
Sources: |
||
