Aver von Welsbach discovered neodymium in Austria in 1925. It was separated from the element didymium. The name neodymium is derived from the greek words neos meaning new and didymos meaning twin. It is obtained from electolysis of salts. It is used for coloring glass and ceramics, and for infrared radiation filtering.
Physical Properties.
Density: 7.01 g/cm3.
Tensile Strength: 78.4 N/mm2.
Bending Strength: 245 N/mm2.
Vickers Hardness: 600 D.P.N.
Compressive Strength: 1029 N/mm2 .
Youngs Modulus: 157 KN/mm2.
Atomic Volume: 20.6 cm3/N.
States.
State: solid.
Melting Point: 1283.2K.
Boiling Point: 3300K.
Heath of Fusion: 7.140 kJ/N.
Heat of Vaproization: 273.0 kJ/N.
Energies.
1st Ionization: 529.6 kJ/N.
2nd Ionization: 1035 kJ/N.
3rd Ionization: 2130 kJ/N.
Heat Atomization: 328 kJ/N.
Electonegitivity: 1.14.
Electron Affinity: 50 kJ/N.
Specific Heat: 0.19 J/gk.
Oxidation and Electrons.
Shells: 2" 18,22" 2.
Electronic Configuration: (Xe) 4f(4)5S(2)5P(6)6S(2).
Minimum Oxidation #: 0.
Maximum Oxidation #: 3.
Minimum Common Oxidation #: 0.
Maximum Common Oxidation #: 3.
Chemical Reactions.
Neodymium with air: neodymium metal tarnishes slowly in air and burns readily to form neodymium(III) oxide, Nd(2)0(3).
4 Nd + 3 O(2) = 2 Nd(2)O(3).
Neodymium with water: the silvery white metal neodymium is quite electropositive and reacts slowly with cold water and quite quickly with hot water to form neodymium hydroxide, Nd(OH)3 and hydrogen gas (H2).
2 Nd(s) + 6 H2O(g) = 2 Nd(OH#)(aq) + 3 H2(g).
Neodymium with the Halogens: neodymium metal reacts with all the halogens to form neodymium (II) halides.
With fluorine (F2) to form neodymium(III) fluorine NdF3.
2 Nd(s) + 3 F2(g) = 2 NdF3(s) {violet}.
With chlorine (Cl2) to form neodymium (III) chloride NdCl3.
2 Nd(s) + 3Cl2(g) = 2 NdCl3(s) {mauve}.
With bromine (Br2) to form neodumium (III) bromide NdBr3.
2 Nd(s) + 3 Br(g) = @ NdBr3(s) {violet}.
With iodine (I2) to form neodymium (III) iodide NdI3.
2 Nd(s) + 3 I2(g) = 2 NdI3(s) {green}.
Neodymium with Acids: neodymium metal dissolves readily in dilute sulphuric acid to form solutions containing the lilac aquated Nd(III0 ion together with hydrogen gas (H2).
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