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Article: Neodymium
- Article from:
- Chemistry: Foundations and Applications
- Author:
CopyrightCOPYRIGHT 2004 The Gale Group, Inc. This material is published under license from the publisher through the Gale Group, Farmington Hills, Michigan. All inquiries regarding rights should be directed to the Gale Group. (Hide copyright information)
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Neodymium
melting point:
1,021
°
C
boiling point: 3,127
°
C
density: 7.0 g/cm
3
most common ions: Nd
2+
,
Nd
3+
,
Nd
4+
Neodymium oxide was first isolated from a mixture of oxides called didymia. The element neodymium is the second most abundant
lanthanide
element in the igneous rocks of Earth's crust. Hydrated neodymium(III) salts are reddish and anhydrous neodymium compounds are blue. The compounds neodymium(III) chloride, bromide, iodide, nitrate, perchlorate, and acetate are very soluble; neodymium sulfate is somewhat soluble; the fluoride, hydroxide, oxide, carbonate, oxalate, and phosphate compounds are insoluble.
Neodymium is used to color special glasses, giving these ...