Dysprosium
🚗 In Your World
Dysprosium is a rare earth metal with one of the highest magnetic strengths known. Its most critical use is as an additive in neodymium magnets. Adding dysprosium allows these powerful magnets to resist demagnetization at high temperatures, making them essential for the traction motors in electric and hybrid vehicles, as well as in wind turbine generators.
📖 The Discovery Story
Dysprosium was discovered in 1886 by French chemist Paul-Émile Lecoq de Boisbaudran while he was analyzing holmium oxide. After a painstaking process involving over 30 precipitations, he was able to isolate dysprosium from holmium. He named it from the Greek word dysprositos, which means "hard to get at," reflecting the extreme difficulty he faced in separating the element.
📊 Properties at a Glance
| Phase at STP | Solid |
| Melting Point | 1412 °C / 2574 °F |
| Boiling Point | 2567 °C / 4653 °F |
| Electron Configuration | [Xe] 4f¹⁰6s² |
| Abundance in Earth's Crust | 0.00052% |
⚠️ Safety & Handling
Dysprosium metal is relatively stable in air and is soft enough to be cut with a knife. Like other lanthanides, it is considered to have low to moderate toxicity. Its compounds should be handled with standard laboratory safety precautions.