Lanthanides

Introduction

The lanthanide metals, also called the Rare Earth metals, are elements of atomic number 57 (lanthanum) through 71 (lutitium). Yttrium, Y - atomic number 39, is usually also included because of its chemical similarity. You'll find the lanthanides and actinides in most periodic tables usually at the bottom. (I must say that I was once quite disconcerted to find the lanthanides and actinides missing from a periodic table in a chemistry classroom becasue the chart was too large to fit the space above the blackboard.)

Molycorp has produced a nice overview of lanthanides (and a separate volume on Cerium) that you can download as PDF files at:
http://www.molycorp.com/products/products.html

Where Do We Find Lanthanides?

optical emission: phosphors, lasers, light amplifiers
magnetic properties
metal alloys
catalysts
glass and ceramic additives
nuclear applications: dosimeters, control rods

As an example, the photos below show a 5-Euro note under different illumination sources. It is quite appropriate that the red color seen with ultraviolet (UV) excitation comes from europium ions!

under white light	under UV light


Thanks to my good friend Andries Meijerink, Utrecht University, for the Euro note! (I will pay you back some day.)

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