Physical Properties of 17 Rare Earth Elements
According to the electronic layer structure, physical properties of rare earth elements, symbiosis in minerals and different ionic radius, the 17 rare earth elements are usually divided into two groups:
Light rare earth elements: lanthanum, cerium, praseodymium, neodymium, promethium, samarium, europium, and gadolinium.
Heavy rare earth elements: terbium, dysprosium, holmium, erbium, thulium, ytterbium, lutetium, scandium, yttrium.
The following table shows their physical propertiesAtomic number | Elements | Atomic weight | Ionic radius (Å) | Density (g/cm³) | Meltability (℃) | Boiling Point (℃) | The melting point of the oxide (℃) | Specific resistance Ω×10cm6 | Ion magnetic moment (μB) | Thermal capture cross-section (barn) |
57 | La | 138.9 | 1.22 | 6.19 | 920±5 | 4230 | 2315 | 56.8 | 0 | 8.9 |
58 | Ce | 140.1 | 1.18 | 6.768 | 804±5 | 2930 | 1950 | 75.3 | 2.56 | 0.7 |
59 | Pr | 140.9 | 1.16 | 6.769 | 935±5 | 3020 | 2500 | 68 | 3.62 | 11.2 |
60 | Nd | 144.3 | 1.15 | 7.007 | 1024±5 | 3180 | 2270 | 64.3 | 3.68 | 46 |
61 | Pm | 147 | 1.14 | - | - | - | - | - | 2.83 | - |
62 | Sm | 150.4 | 1.13 | 7.504 | 1052±5 | 1630 | 2350 | 88 | 1.55~1.65 | 5500 |
63 | Eu | 152 | 1.13 | 5.166 | 826±10 | 1490 | 2050 | 81.3 | 3.40~3.50 | 4600 |
64 | Gd | 157.26 | 1.11 | 7.868 | 1350±20 | 2730 | 2350 | 140.5 | 7.94 | 46000 |
65 | Tb | 158.93 | 1.09 | 8.253 | 1336 | 2530 | 2387 | - | 9.7 | 44 |
66 | Dy | 162.51 | 1.07 | 8.565 | 1485±20 | 2330 | 2340 | 56 | 10.6 | 1100 |
67 | Ho | 164.94 | 1.05 | 8.799 | 1490 | 2330 | 2360 | 87 | 10.6 | 64 |
68 | Er | 167.27 | 1.04 | 9.058 | 1500~1550 | 2630 | 2355 | 107 | 9.6 | 166 |
69 | Tm | 168.94 | 1.04 | 9.318 | 1500~1600 | 2130 | 2400 | 79 | 7.6 | 118 |
70 | Yb | 173.04 | 1 | 6.959 | 824±5 | 1530 | 2346 | 27 | 4.5 | 36 |
71 | Lu | 174.99 | 0.99 | 9.849 | 1650~1750 | 1930 | 2400 | 79 | 0 | 108 |
21 | Sc | 44.97 | 0.83 | 2.995 | 1550~1600 | 2750 | - | - | - | 13 |
39 | Y | 88.92 | 1.06 | 4.472 | 1552 | 3030 | 2680 | - | - | 1.27 |