Why is europium important?

Europium is a metallic element, silver white, and can burn into oxides; Oxides are almost white. Europium for iron gray metal, melting point 822°C, boiling point 1597°C, density 5.2434g/ cm ³. It is the softest and most volatile of the rare earth elements. Europium is the most active metal in rare earth elements: at room temperature, europium immediately loses metallic luster in the air and is quickly oxidized into powder; React violently with cold water to form hydrogen; Europium reacts with boron, carbon, sulfur, phosphorus, hydrogen and nitrogen.

Europium is one of the rarest rare earth elements. The amount on Earth is only 1.1 parts per million. It is a soft, shiny, steel-grey metal that is highly malleable and malleable, meaning it can be machined into many shapes. It looks and feels like lead, but it's a little heavier.

Chemical properties of europium

Appearance: silver white metal

Molecular weight: 151.964

CAS Login number: 7440-53-1

Melting point: 822 ° C

Boiling point: 1597 ° C

Stability: It is highly oxidized in air and should be stored in argon

Europium is an iron grey metal, melting point 822°C, boiling point 1597°C, density 5.2434 g/cm 3; It is the least dense, softest and most volatile of the rare earth elements. Europium is the most active metal in rare earth elements: at room temperature, europium immediately loses metallic luster in the air and is quickly oxidized into powder; React violently with cold water to form hydrogen; Europium reacts with boron, carbon, sulfur, phosphorus, hydrogen and nitrogen. Europium is widely used to make reactor control materials and neutron protection materials.

The discovery of europium metal

The story of europium is part of the complex history of rare earths, also known as lanthanides, which began with the discovery of cerium in 1803. In 1839, Carl Mosander separated two other elements from cerium: lanthanum and an element he called didymium, which was actually a mixture of praseodymium and neodymium. In 1879, Paul-Emile Lecoq de Boisbaudran separated samarium, but it was still impure. Gadolinium was extracted by Jean Charles Galissard de Marignac in 1886, but the story doesn't end there. In 1901, Eugene-Anatole Demarcay carried out a series of painstaking crystallization of samarium and magnesium nitrate, followed by separation to produce europium, another new element.

The discovery of rare earth elements took more than 100 years from the late 18th century to the early 20th century. Dozens of rare earth elements were discovered, but only a dozen of them were confirmed. Europium is thought to be a rare earth element discovered in the early 1900s. In 1892, by spectroscopic analysis, Boisbodran identified the existence of two new elements in samarium, named Zε and Zζ. Later, in 1906, de Maquet, after research, determined that the two elements were actually the same element and named them Europium, the element symbol Eu. The discovery of europium and another rare earth element, lutetium, completed the discovery of all rare earth elements found in nature. Their discovery can be considered to open the fourth gate of rare earth element discovery, completing the fourth stage of rare earth element discovery.

Europium oxide applications

It is used as phosphor for color television sets and has important applications in laser materials and atomic energy industry.

Europium oxide is mostly used in phosphors. Eu3+ is used as an activator for red phosphors, and Eu2+ is used for blue phosphors. Y2O2S:Eu3+ is the best phosphor for luminescence efficiency, coating stability and recovery cost. In addition to the improvement of luminous efficiency and contrast technology, it is being widely used.

Europium oxide has also been used in recent years as an stimulated emission phosphor for new X-ray medical diagnostic systems. Europium oxide can also be used in colored lenses and optical filters, in magnetic bubble storage devices, and in control, shielding and structural materials for atomic reactors. Because its atoms can absorb more neutrons than any other element, it is often used as a neutron absorbing material in atomic reactors. In addition, it can be used as phosphors for color television sets. These phosphors emit a bright red color and are used to make television fluorescent screens. Laser materials, etc.

Rare earth europium complex is a kind of red fluorescent material with high luminescence quantum efficiency of organic compounds and good stability of inorganic compounds, which has a good application prospect.