Gadolinium Powder

Gadolinium Powder

Gadolinium is a soft, shiny, and ductile silvery metal that belongs to the lanthanide group of the periodic table. In dry air, the metal does not tarnish, but an oxide film forms in the humid air. Gadolinium reacts slowly with water and dissolves in acids. Gadolinium becomes superconducting below 1083 K. It is highly magnetic at room temperature. Gadolinium has found use in the control rods of nuclear reactors and nuclear power plants; it is used to make garnets for microwave applications and its compounds are used to produce phosphor for color television tubes. Metallic gadolinium is rarely used as the metal itself, but its alloys are used to make magnets and electronic components such as VCR recording heads. It is also used for the production of CDs and computer memories. Gadolinium, like other lanthanides, forms compounds with low to moderate toxicity. Gadolinium salts are irritating to the skin and eyes and are suspected to cause swelling. The toxicity of gadolinium has not been studied in detail. Gadolinium is one of the more abundant rare-earth elements. It is never found as a free element in nature, but it is contained in many rare minerals.