Samarium
🧲 In Your World
Samarium is a key player in the world of high-performance magnets. Samarium-cobalt (SmCo) magnets are the second-strongest type of permanent magnet and are prized for their ability to maintain their magnetism at very high temperatures, where neodymium magnets would fail. This makes them essential for high-performance electric motors, turbomachinery, and aerospace applications.
📖 The Discovery Story
Samarium was discovered spectroscopically in 1879 by French chemist Paul-Émile Lecoq de Boisbaudran from the mineral samarskite. The element is notable for being the first to be named after a person. The mineral itself was named in honor of a Russian mine official, Colonel Vassili Samarsky-Bykhovets, who had given the mineral samples to chemists for study.
📊 Properties at a Glance
| Phase at STP | Solid |
| Melting Point | 1072 °C / 1962 °F |
| Boiling Point | 1794 °C / 3261 °F |
| Electron Configuration | [Xe] 4f⁶6s² |
| Abundance in Earth's Crust | 0.0007% |
⚠️ Safety & Handling
Samarium metal is reactive and tarnishes in air. The dust is a fire and explosion hazard. Like other lanthanides, it is considered to have low to moderate toxicity, and its compounds should be handled with standard laboratory safety precautions.