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Lanthanum is a key component in
batteries for hybrid vehicles,
computers, and electronic
devices.
It’s physical and
chemical properties enable the
elements used in a variety of
other products.
Lanthanum is utilized in
hydrogen fuel storage cells,
special optical glasses,
electronic vacuums, carbon
lighting applications, as doping
agents in camera and telescope
lenses, and in polishing glass
and gemstones.
It also has major
applications in petroleum
cracking, and as an alloy for
many different metals.
Cerium oxide is widely
used to polish glass surfaces.
Other Cerium compounds
are used to manufacture glass
and enamels both as ingredients,
as well as colour removal
agents. Cerium is a component in
solar panels, LEDs, catalytic
converters, thermal resistance
alloys, carbon arc lighting,
self-cleaning ovens, petroleum
refining, hardening agents, and
dental ceramics.
Praseodymium
is a LREE with numerous
applications.
It is most widely used as
an alloying agent with magnesium
for high-strength metal
applications in aircraft
engines. It is also used in
super magnets, catalytic
converters, UV protective
glasses, carbon arc lights, and
CAT scan scintillators. The
element is additionally used as
a doping agent in fibre optic
cables, and in several metal
alloys.
Neodymium is essential in the
production of the world’s
strongest super magnets, which
are present in
hybrid cars, state-of-the-art
wind and tidal turbines,
industrial motors, air
conditioners, elevators,
microphones, loudspeakers,
computer hard drives, in-ear
headphones, and guitar pick-ups.
When combined with
Terbium, or Dysprosium, a
Neodymium magnet can withstand
the highest temperatures of any
magnet, allowing the element to
be used to be used in electric
cars.
Neodymium has many
additional uses.
It is utilized in
incandescent light bulbs,
cathode ray tubes, as a glass
filter and colourant, as a
doping agent in
Yttrium-Aluminum-Garnet lasers,
and for glare-reduction in
rear-view mirrors.
Samarium-cobalt alloys are
used to make permanent magnets
that are extremely difficult to
demagnetize and work at high
temperatures, making them
irreplaceable in some hybrid
electric automobiles.
Samarium-cobalt magnets
also have additional
applications in the music
industry, but are primarily used
as precise pickups.
The element can be found
in many other compounds used for
such products as
neodymium-yttrium-aluminum
garnet laser glass, and infrared
absorption glass, capacitors for
microwave frequencies, as well
as in the cancer drug, ‘Quadramet’.
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