In order to let more people know about polishing and grinding, Honway update the knowledge column from time to time.
Introduction In 1874, P. T. Cleve demonstrated that didymium was a mixture of at least two elements. It wasn’t until 1885 that C. A. von Welsbach successfully separated it into two new elements, praseodymium and neodymium. Since neodymium was more abundant in didymium than praseodymium, it retained the old name “didymium” with the prefix “neo,” …
Another Indistinguishable Twin – The Green-Emitting “Praseodymium” Read More »
Introduction Neodymium was discovered in 1885 by Austrian chemist C. A. von Welsbach in Vienna. Interestingly, the name “Neodymium” comes from the Greek words “neos” (νέος), meaning “new,” and “didymos” (διδύμος), meaning “twin.” Naturally occurring neodymium consists of seven isotopes: stable isotopes 143Nd, 145Nd, 146Nd, 148Nd, the most common 142Nd, and long-lived primordial radioactive isotopes …
The Famous Twin Rare Earth Element Mystery – The Powerful “Neodymium” Magnet Read More »
Introduction Gadolinium was discovered in 1880 by Jean Charles G. de Marignac and named after gadolinite, the mineral from which it was derived. The mineral itself was named in honor of Finnish chemist J. Gadolin, recognizing his contributions to rare earth research. Like most rare earth elements, gadolinium’s main minerals are monazite and bastnaesite, making …
MRI Contrast Agents Containing Gadolinium: Medical Warnings Issued Read More »
Introduction Samarium was first discovered in 1879 by French chemist Paul-Émile L. de Boisbaudran from the rare earth mineral samarskite, which was itself named in honor of Russian mining engineer Colonel Vasili Samarsky-Bykhovets for his contributions to mineralogy. Samarium has seven naturally occurring isotopes, including stable isotopes 144Sm, 149Sm, 150Sm, 152Sm, and 154Sm, as well …
Introduction In 1879, Swedish chemist P. T. Cleve isolated pale green thulium oxide from erbium ores and named it “Thulia” after the Scandinavian term for the “farthest north” — Thule. This oxide led to the naming of the new element as “Thulium” (Tm). Thulium does not naturally occur in pure elemental form but coexists with …
Thulium, Named After the Mythical Northern Land of Thule from Greek Mythology Read More »
Previous articles mentioned the discovery of erbium oxide by scientist Mosander, leading not only to the separation of ytterbium (Yb) but also holmium (Ho) and thulium (Tm). Now, let’s dive into the rare earth element “holmium”! Introduction Holmium (Ho) has 35 isotopes, with naturally occurring 165Ho being the most stable. The remaining isotopes are artificially …
Holmium: Wielding Immense Power, It Obliterates Kidney Stones Read More »
Ytterbium is a rare earth element with the chemical symbol Yb. First isolated in 1878 from gadolinite, its name comes from the village of Ytterby in Sweden, where the mineral was discovered. It has multiple stable and radioactive isotopes and is primarily used in laser technology, alloy strengthening, fiber optic communications, medical imaging, and nuclear medicine. Its properties make it useful in aviation, chemicals, electronics, geophysical monitoring, and it holds potential in high-density explosives and optical clocks.
In a previous article, we mentioned the rare earth element “Terbium.” Its sibling elements, discovered in the same year, include “Erbium.” Initially, terbium oxide and erbium oxide were confused with each other, and it wasn’t until after 1860 that this was corrected. Both Er and Tb were isolated from gadolinite, yet their oxides differ in …
Previously, we discussed how “Yttrium” was discovered in a mine near the village of Ytterby in Sweden. Interestingly, there are three other elements that, much like triplets, have similar names and are often confused: Erbium (Er), Terbium (Tb), and Ytterbium (Yb). All of these were also discovered in the same area. In the lanthanide family, …
The Rare Earth Triplets—Terbium, the Unfortunate Victim Read More »
Rare earth elements may sound exotic and valuable, but among this group of elements, cerium stands out for its abundance. It ranks as the 25th most common element in the Earth’s crust, leading some to jokingly refer to it as “the least rare of the rare earth elements.” Cerium was first discovered in 1803 by …
