Neodymium
🧲 In Your World
Neodymium is the superstar of the magnet world. When alloyed with iron and boron, it creates neodymium magnets, the strongest and most powerful type of permanent magnet commercially available. These super-strong magnets are essential components in modern technology, found in high-fidelity headphones and speakers, computer hard drives, and the electric motors of hybrid/electric vehicles and wind turbines.
📖 The Discovery Story
Neodymium shares its discovery with its "twin," praseodymium. For years, scientists believed the substance "didymium" was a single element. In 1885, Austrian chemist Carl Auer von Welsbach proved that didymium was actually a mixture of two different elements. He named one "praseodymium" (green twin) and the other "neodymium" from the Greek words neos didymos, meaning "new twin."
📊 Properties at a Glance
| Phase at STP | Solid |
| Melting Point | 1024 °C / 1875 °F |
| Boiling Point | 3074 °C / 5565 °F |
| Electron Configuration | [Xe] 4f⁴6s² |
| Abundance in Earth's Crust | 0.00415% |
⚠️ Safety & Handling
Neodymium metal is reactive and tarnishes in air. Like other lanthanides, it is considered to have low to moderate toxicity. The main safety concern comes from the incredible strength of neodymium magnets. They are powerful enough to cause serious injury if they snap together, and they should be kept away from electronic devices and medical implants like pacemakers.