In Chemistry, Neodymium is one of the 118 elements found on Mendeleev’s Periodic Table. An element is a substance that is made entirely from one type of atom and is then advantageously placed in the periodic table which categorizes all elements of the universe. Neodymium was discovered to have a “twin element” and is used for anything from high-powered fans to cellular phones.
For years scientists tried to pull the compound Didymium apart but without success. Triumph hit the city of Vienna in 1885 through Carl Auer von Welsbach. Welsbach had finally succeeded in breaking down the Didymium compound but ended up with two elements: Neodymium and Praseodymium. These “twins” are both derived from Didymium and other minerals through repeated fractionation of ammonium didymium nitrate. Fractionation is the separation process in which a mixture is divided into smaller quantities. Most of the time Neodymium is obtained by separating Neodymium salts from other rare earth metals and then it quickly tarnishes in the air. It then forms an oxide that sparks off and exposes the metal to oxidation (“Neodymium.” Periodic Table of). Little did Welsbach know the wide range of usefulness his discovery had to offer in the near future.
Neodymium is used in almost anything powered by electricity. When fused together with Iron and Boron, it is one of the most powerful magnets in the world. These magnets are used to create electricity in wind turbine engines, cause vibrations in a phone, accurately reproduce sound and base, computers, medical equipment, toys, and motors (“Neodymium.” Chemicool). When Neodymium is not put with Iron and Boron it is most commonly used as crystals in lasers for laser hair removal, treat skin cancer, or weld steel (“Neodymiu...
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...l commercially used magnet. The outcome of this in-balance causes a massive overlap in competition between China and other countries interested in rare earths (China). Lucky for China though, most rare earth industries focus on NdFeB and other such materials.
Neodymium is used around the world and influences everything from one degree or another. From the day Welsbach discovered it in 1885 to today and long into the future; Neodymium has revolutionized life itself.
Works Cited
“China sells rare earths for absurdly low prices.” Want China Times. 6 Apr. 2014. Web. 1 May
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“Neodymium.” Chemicool. 17 Oct. 2012. Web. 15 Apr. 2014.
“Neodymium.” Ree Handbook. 2013. Web. 15 Apr. 2014.
“Neodymium.” Periodic Table of Elements: LANL. Los Alamos National Laboratory. 2014.
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“Neodymium.” Periodic Table. Royal Society of Chemistry. 2014. Web. 16 Apr. 2014.
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