How much does thulium cost?
Thulium metal costs $50/g. Thulium can be isolated by reduction of the oxide with lanthanum metal or by calcium reduction of a closed container. The element is silver-gray, soft, malleable, and ductile, and can be cut with a knife.
What is a fun fact about Thulium?
Word origin: Thulium is named for Thule, the earliest name for Scandinavia. Discovery: This rare earth was discovered by Sweedish chemist Per Teodor Cleve in 1879. The soft and malleable silver-gray element can be cut with a knife. The element has 25 known isotopes, with atomic masses ranging from 152 to 176.
What is the main use of thulium?
Thulium has been used to create lasers. When stable thulium (Tm-169) is bombarded in a nuclear reactor it can later serve as a radiation source in portable X-ray devices. It also has potential use in ceramic magnetic materials called ferrites, which are used in microwave equipment.
Does thulium have an odor?
Appearance and Odor: Green-white powder and pieces, no odor. Extinguishing Media: Use suitable extinguishing agent for surrounding materials and type of fire. Fumes from fire are hazardous. …
Why is thulium expensive?
Like many lanthanides, pure thulium is made by treating its fluorine compound with calcium: Because it is so rare, thulium is also very expensive. It sells for about $50 a gram (about $23,000 a pound).
What is thulium known for?
A bright, silvery metal. When irradiated in a nuclear reactor, thulium produces an isotope that emits x-rays. A ‘button’ of this isotope is used to make a lightweight, portable x-ray machine for medical use. Thulium is used in lasers with surgical applications.
Is thulium toxic?
It is non-toxic. Thulium is found principally in the mineral monazite, which contains about 20 parts per million. It is extracted by ion exchange and solvent extraction. The metal is obtained by reducing the anhydrous fluoride with calcium, or reducing the oxide with lanthanum.
What is thulium used for?
What does the name thulium mean?
Advertisement. Definitions of thulium from WordNet. thulium ( n.) a soft silvery metallic element of the rare earth group; isotope 170 emits X-rays and is used in small portable X-ray machines; it occurs in monazite and apatite and xenotime; Synonyms: Tm / atomic number “.
What are important uses for thulium?
Uses of thulium It is used in certain types of powerful lasers and these are commonly used in the military, meteorology (the study of weather/atmosphere) and health. Thulium obtained from a nuclear reactor can be used as a radiation source for certain portable X-ray machines.
What is thulium’s freezing point?
Find freezing point of different substance like freezing point of water, hydrogen, carbon, nitrogen, sodium, aluminum, iron, zinc, helium, silver, gold, mercury, lead, iodine, platinum and many more Freezing point of Thulium (Tm) is 1545 °C [ Convert 1545 °C to different units ] view full reference table
When was thulium discovered?
Thulium was discovered by Per Theodor Cleve, a Swedish chemist, in 1879. Cleve used the same method Carl Gustaf Mosander used to discover lanthanum, erbium and terbium, he looked for impurities in the oxides of other rare earth elements.