Gadolinium

Gadolinium is a chemical element with atomic number 64 and is one of the elements of the lanthanide group .

Gadolinium is a silvery white malleable and ductile rare earth metal. The metal has two crystalline modifications: at room temperature it has an α-form, but when heated to a temperature above 1235 ° -C, it turns into a β-form.

Unlike other rare earth elements, gadolinium metal is relatively stable in dry air. However, it quickly tarnishes in humid air, forming gadolinium(III) oxide (Gd ₂ O ₃ ) .

Application area

The main applications for gadolinium are nuclear power and electronics .

In nuclear technology, metal is used to protect against thermal neurons, since this element has the highest ability to capture neutrons of all stable elements .

Gadolinium is used as one of the components in the production of superconductors .

An alloy of gadolinium-iron is used as a very capacious hydrogen accumulator, and can be used for a hydrogen car, and an alloy of gadolinium and nickel is used to make containers for radioactive waste disposal .

Gadolinium hexaboride is used to make cathodes for high-power electron guns and X-ray machines .

In medicine, metal is used as a source of cure for the diagnosis of osteoporosis. Gadolinium chloride is used in the treatment of the liver .