![]() The rare-earth glowĪfter being excited, each rare earth reliably emits precise wavelengths (colors) of light, de Bettencourt-Dias notes. Rare-earth elements have a subshell of electrons (called f-electrons) that give these metals magnetic and luminescent properties. A subset of them, known as the lanthanides - lutetium, Lu, plus the row starting with lanthanum, La - appear in a single row. The group of 17 elements (highlighted in blue on this periodic table) are known as rare earths. As they do, these f-electrons emit light. Later, it will drop back to its starting - or ground - state. The energy boosts the electron into an excited state. An energy source such as a laser beam can jolt one f-electron in a rare earth element. The trick is to tickle their f-electrons, says de Bettencourt-Dias. When stimulated, rare-earth metals radiate light. She’s an inorganic chemist at the University of Nevada, Reno. “It’s these f-electrons that are responsible for both the magnetic and luminescent properties of the rare-earth elements,” says Ana de Bettencourt-Dias. It’s located near the valence electrons but slightly closer to the nucleus. These “f-electrons” dwell in a Goldilocks zone. Most lanthanides possess another important set of electrons. They take part in chemical reactions and form bonds that link atoms together. Electrons in the orbitals farthest from the nucleus are known as valence electrons. Those tiny electrons inhabit zones called orbitals. But their secret power lies in their electrons.Īll atoms have a nucleus surrounded by electrons. These metals also have high melting and boiling points. Rare earths tend to be malleable (easy to deform). When it comes to the uses of rare earths, he says, “The list just goes on and on.” Superpowers trace to their electrons He’s a synthetic chemist and independent consultant based in Dixon, Calif. “They’re everywhere,” says Stephen Boyd of these metals. ![]() They may even give rise to new parts used in quantum computers. More recently, rare earths have been driving the growth of green technologies, such as wind power and electric vehicles. These metals generate sound waves in your headphones and boost digital data through space. They also help build some of the world’s strongest, most reliable magnets. They relay signals through fiber-optic cables along the seafloor. They fluoresce to signal that euro banknotes are the real deal. For instance, we rely on rare earths to color our smartphone screens. Rare-earth mining is dirty but key to a climate-friendlier futureīut the most outstanding capabilities of rare earths are their luminescence and magnetism. It captures neutrons to control the production of energy by a reactor’s fuel. Nuclear reactors rely on another: gadolinium. The rare earth cerium can serve as a catalyst to process crude oil into a host of useful products. ![]() They also have similar chemical properties. Those last two elements tend to occur in the same ore deposits as lanthanides. Also included in the rare earths are scandium (atomic number 21) and yttrium (atomic number 39). Known as lanthanides, they run from lanthanum to lutetium - atomic numbers 57 through 71. And demand for these metals has been skyrocketing.įifteen rare earths make up a whole row on most periodic tables. Called rare earths, these 17 elements are crucial to nearly all modern electronics. That was, of course, fiction.īack here on Earth, in real life, a group of metallic elements has made possible our own technology-driven society. It also became the basis of an intergalactic civilization. This spice granted people the ability to navigate vast expanses of the cosmos. Mining a precious natural substance called spice melange was a driving theme in that epic space saga. The first volume of Frank Herbert’s Dune series debuted back in 1965. ![]()
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