Samarium-Discovery, Properties, And Applications

Samarium is a chemical element with the symbol Sm and atomic number 62. It is a rare earth metal that belongs to the lanthanide series. Samarium is a silvery-white metal that is malleable and ductile.

Property	Value
Name	Samarium
Symbol	Sm
Atomic number	62
Relative atomic mass (Ar)	Block in the periodic table
Standard state	Solid at 298 K
Appearance	Silvery white
Classification	Metallic
Group in periodic table
Group name	Lanthanoid
Group in the periodic table	6 (lanthanoid)
Period in the periodic table	f
Shell structure	2.8.18.24.8.2
CAS Registry	7440-19-9

Discovery

Samarium was discovered in 1879 by French chemist Paul Émile Lecoq de Boisbaudran, who separated it from other rare earth elements.

Physical Properties

Samarium has a melting point of 1072°C and a boiling point of 1803°C. It has a density of 7.52 g/cm³ and is a silvery-white metal that is malleable and ductile.

Chemical Properties

Samarium is a rare earth metal and reacts slowly with water, but quickly with oxygen and air. It can form compounds with most non-metals and has an oxidation state of +2 or +3. Samarium is used as a dopant in optical materials, such as glass, to absorb infrared radiation.

Facts

• Samarium is named after the mineral samarskite, which was named after Russian mine official Colonel Vasili Samarsky-Bykhovets.
• Samarium has 7 naturally occurring isotopes, with ^152Sm being the most abundant.
• Samarium is used in samarium-cobalt magnets, which are some of the most powerful magnets available.

Applications

• Samarium is used in samarium-cobalt magnets, which are used in high-performance motors, headphones, and computer hard drives.
• Samarium oxide is used in nuclear reactors as a neutron absorber.
• Samariums is used in optical materials, such as glass, to absorb infrared radiation.
• Samarium is used as a catalyst in the production of synthetic rubber.