Neodymium Chloride (NdCl3)-Powder

Characteristic

Neodymium(III) chloride or neodymium trichloride is a chemical compound of neodymium and chlorine with the formula NdCl₃. This anhydrous compound is a mauve-colored solid that rapidly absorbs water on exposure to air to form a purple-colored hexahydrate, NdCl₃·6H₂O. 

Chemical formula：NdCl₃, NdCl₃·6H₂O (hydrate)

Molar mass： 250.598 g/mol

Appearance： mauve-colored powder  hygroscopic

Density： 4.13 g/cm³ (2.282 for hydrate)

Melting point： 758 °C (1,396 °F; 1,031 K)

Boiling point： 1,600 °C (2,910 °F; 1,870 K)

Solubility in water：0.967 kg/L at 13 °C

Solubility in ethanol： 0.445 kg/L

Crystal structure：hexagonal (UCl3 type)

Application

The chloride has several important applications as an intermediate chemical for production of neodymium metal and neodymium-based lasers and optical fibers. Other applications include a catalyst in organic synthesis and in decomposition of waste water contamination, corrosion protection of aluminium and its alloys, and fluorescent labeling of organic molecules (DNA).