Nowadays, the dysprosium metal is primarily obtained via an ion exchange process from monazite sand (Ce, La, Th, Nd, Y)PO4). It also occurs in uranium ores and weathered clay deposits (ion-adsorption ore). This rare-earth element can be obtained from the minerals monazite, samarium, bastnäsite, polycrase, blomstrandine, euxenite, xenotime, gadolinite, and fergusonite by reduction of dysprosium trifluoride with calcium metal, or ion exchange and the solvent extraction process. Since dysprosium is not only never found in its pure elemental form in nature, but it’s also hard to be obtained by any other means, the Greek word “ dysprositos ” (meaning: hard to get ) seemed to be the ultimate choice for the name of the new element that required numerous fractional crystallisations in order to be isolated in its pure form. It was Frank Spedding (1902 – 1984) who finally succeeded in discovering the ideal technique for the isolation of dysprosium from minerals.īy using ion-exchange chromatography, this Canadian-American chemist managed to separate the dysprosium from the other elements of the analyzed chemical compound. Until the 1950s, the researchers that tried to isolate this element after de Boisbaudran also didn’t manage to easily isolate the element. His persistence led him to the highly desired result and the discovery of the chemical element dysprosium (Dy). After this procedure, he would control the fractions spectroscopically. Thus, he embarked on a rather lengthy scientifical journey by attempting to isolate the new element by conducting precipitations with ammonia and oxalate more than 32 times. He assumed that a new chemical element is ‘hiding’ in this mineral sample. De Boisbaudran was intrigued by a piece of mineral containing holmium. In 1886, the French chemist Paul-Émile Lecoq de Boisbaudran (1838 – 1912) followed Gadolin’s findings. The Successful Research of Paul-Émile Lecoq de Boisbaudran In 1843, two of those trace impurities found in erbia (the oxide of erbium) were recognized by Carl Gustav Mosander (1797 – 1858) as the new elements erbium and terbium, while in 1878, holmium and thulium were discovered in the same manner. In the following experiments conducted on this mineral, Gadolin noticed some impurities. His analysis showed the presence of a new mineral that he referred to as yttrium. That year, the Finnish chemist Johan Gadolin (1760 – 1852) attempted to analyze a mineral sample obtained from the small Swedish town of Ytterby. Johan Gadolin’s Contribution to the Discovery of Dysprosiumīut, let’s get back to 1794. Namely, in 1843 the scientists succeeded to discover erbium (Er), while the consecutive researches opened the way to the discovery of holmium (Ho) in 1878. The extensive experiments that were conducted on this chemical lead to not one, but several great discoveries in chemistry. In 1794, yttrium oxide was the chemical substance that had sparked great interest among the scientists working in the field of chemistry. Dysprosium tarnishes lightly in moist air, while its luster remains when this soft metal is exposed to dry air. At temperatures of 85K (−188.2☌), dysprosium displays ferromagnetic properties that adopt a helical antiferromagnetic state when the temperature reaches above 85 K (−188.2 ☌), i.e. Highly reactive with both water and oxygen, dysprosium reaches its boiling point at 2567☌ (4653☏, 2840K), while the melting point is achieved at 1412☌ (2574☏, 1685K). This soft metal classified in the lanthanides family of elements has an electronegativity of 1.2 according to Pauling and an atomic radius of 175 pm. The energy of the second ionization: 1124 kJ.mol -1ĭiscovery date: In 1886 by Paul-Émile Lecoq de Boisbaudranĭysprosium is the chemical element of the periodic table with the symbol Dy, atomic number 66, atomic mass of 162.50 g.mol -1, and electron configuration 4f 10 6s 2. The energy of the first ionization: 571.2 kJ.mol -1 Half-life: From less than 30 seconds to 144.4 daysĮlectronegativity according to Pauling: 1.2 Physical state: Solid at room temperature of 20☌ The symbol in the periodic table of elements: Dy Fact Box Chemical and Physical Properties of Dysprosium Still, it never occurs in its free elemental form.Ĭlassified in the heavy rare-earth elements group (HREE), this soft metal has two valence electrons that enable dysprosium to detect radiation and display high magnetic susceptibility. It’s one of the more abundant lanthanide elements found in Earth’s crust, in a concentration of 3 parts per million. Dysprosium is a chemical element with an atomic number of 66 in the periodic table of elements.
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