2025/01/08
Praseodymium is a rare earth metal element with an atomic number of 59. It is silvery white, soft and pliable. Its crystal structure is a hexagonal unit cell and it often coexists with neodymium. Praseodymium has a stronger corrosion resistance in the air than lanthanum, cerium, neodymium, and europium, but it will produce a layer of brittle green oxide (Pr2O3) when exposed to air. Pure praseodymium must be stored in mineral oil or sealed plastic. Like other rare earth elements, praseodymium has a chronic low toxicity and is not an essential element for organisms.
A large part of praseodymium is used as mixed rare earths, such as metal material purification modifiers, chemical catalysts, agricultural rare earths, etc. Adding praseodymium-neodymium-enriched materials to Y-type zeolite molecular sieves to prepare petroleum-cracking catalysts can improve the activity, selectivity, and stability of the catalyst. Adding praseodymium neodymium enriched materials, as a plastic modification additive, to polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) can significantly improve the wear resistance of PTFE.
Rare earth permanent magnet materials are the hottest rare earth application field today. Praseodymium is not a good permanent magnet material if it’s used alone, but it is an excellent synergistic element that can improve magnetic properties. Adding an appropriate amount of praseodymium can effectively improve the performance of permanent magnet materials. Adding praseodymium can also improve the magnet’s oxidation resistance (resistance to air corrosion) and mechanical properties. It has been widely used in various electronic devices.
Praseodymium can also be used as a grinding and polishing material. Rare earth polishing powder containing praseodymium will be reddish brown, also known as red powder, but this red color is not iron oxide red, because praseodymium oxide makes the rare earth polishing powder darker. Praseodymium is also used as a new type of grinding material to make praseodymium-containing corundum grinding wheels.
Industrially, praseodymium is separated and purified from mixed rare earth solutions obtained by treating bastnaesite or monazite by solvent extraction and ion exchange.
发表回复