Application of rare earth elements in high and new technology industry

Due to the unique structure of the electronic layer, rare earth elements have excellent physical and chemical properties such as magnetism, light and electricity, playing an important role in new energy vehicles, aerospace and other high-tech industries. 

The next part mainly introduces the application of rare earth elements in high and new technology industry.

1.Luminous materials for display

The rare earth elements yttrium and Europium are the main raw materials of red phosphors, which are widely used in color TV sets, computers and various displays.

2.Permanent magnetic materials

Neodymium, praseodymium, samarium and dysprosium are the main raw materials for the manufacture of modern super-permanent magnetic materials, whose magnetic properties are 4-10 times higher than those of ordinary permanent magnetic materials. 

They are widely used in the high-tech fields such as television sets, electroacoustic devices, medical equipment, magneto-suspended trains and military industries.

3.Hydrogen storage materials 

The intermetallic compounds MMNi5 (MM for mixed rare earth metals) and LaNi5 of rare earth and transition elements are excellent hydrogen absorbing materials, known as sponges. 

Its most successful application is to make secondary batteries, called nickel-ammonia batteries. Its equal-volume charging capacity is twice that of the widely used nickel-cadmium batteries, and its charging-discharge cycle life and output voltage are the same as those of nickel-cadmium batteries, but not as serious as cadmium pollution.

4.Laser materials 

Rare earth ions are the most important activators of solid laser materials and inorganic liquid laser materials, among which the laser materials doped with Nd3+ have been studied the most, in addition to yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG), yttrium aluminate (YAP) glass and other matrix, high rare earth concentration laser materials may be called special applications of materials.

5.Precision ceramics

  The yttrium oxide partially stable oxidation pick is a structural ceramic with excellent performance, which can be used for making various special knives and scissors. Automobile engine can be made, because it has high thermal conductivity, low coefficient of expansion, good thermal stability, working intensity at 1650℃ does not reduce, leading to engine horsepower, fuel saving and other advantages.

6.Catalyst 

In addition to the production of petroleum cracking catalysts, rare earth oxides La03, Nd203 and Sm203 are widely used in many chemical reactions. For example, the rare earth oxides La03, Nd203 and Sm203 are used in the production of cyclohexane dechlorination of benzene, LnCO3 is used to replace platinum in the catalytic oxidation of ammonia to produce nitric acid, and they are used as catalysts in the synthesis of isoprene rubber and butadiene rubber. In order to solve the current urban air pollution problem, the automobile exhaust needs to oxidize CH and OO and reduce NOX.

7.High temperature superconducting materials 

Studies in recent years have shown that many single rare earth oxides and some mixed rare earth oxides are important raw materials for high temperature superconducting materials.