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Samarium

Samarium , including Technical Data, Safety Data and its high purity propertiesresearch, applications and other useful facts are discussed below. Scientific facts such as the atomic structure,ionization energyabundance on Earthconductivity and thermal properties are included. 

Samarium is primarily utilized in the production of samarium-cobalt (Sm2Co17) permanent magnets. Samarium is available as metal and compounds with purities from 99% to 99.999% (ACS grade to ultra-high purity); metals in the form of foil, sputtering target, and rod, and compounds as submicron and nanopowder. It is also used in laser applications and for its dielectric properties. Samarium-cobalt magnets replaced the more expensive platinum-cobalt magnets in the early 1970s. While now overshadowed by the less expensive neodymium-iron-boron magnet, they are still valued for their ability to function at high temperatures. They are utilized in lightweight electronic equipment where size or space is a limiting factor and where functionality at high temperature is a concern. Applications include electronic watches, aeospace equipment, microwave technology and servomotors. Because of its weak spectral absorption band samarium is used in the filter glass on Nd:YAG solid state lasers to surround the laser rod to improve efficiency by absorbing stray emissions. Samarium forms stable titanate compounds with useful dielectric properties suitable for coatings and in capacitors at microwave frequencies. 


Samarium facts, including appearance, CAS #, and molecular formula and safety data, research and properties are available for many specific states, forms and shapes on the product pages listed to the left. Elemental or metallic forms include pellets, rod, wire and granules for evaporation source material purposes. Nanoparticles and nanopowders provide ultra high surface area which nanotechnology research and recent experiments demonstrate function to create new and unique properties and benefits. 

Oxides are available in forms including powders and dense pellets for such uses as optical coating and thin film applications. Oxides tend to be insoluble. Fluorides are another insoluble form for uses in which oxygen is undesirable such as metallurgy, chemical and physical vapor deposition and in some optical coatings. Samarium is available in soluble forms includingchlorides, nitrates and acetates. These compounds are also manufactured assolutions at specified stoichiometries. 

Samarium is a Block F, Group 3, Period 6 element. The number of electrons in each of Samarium‘s shells is 2, 8, 18, 24, 8, 2 and its electronic configuration is [Xe]4f6 6s2. In its elemental form samarium‘s CAS number is 7440-19-9. The samarium atom has a radius of 180.4.pm and it‘s Van der Waals radius is unknown. Samarium is somewhat toxic. Samarium is primarily utilized in the production of samarium-cobalt (Sm2Co17) permanent magnets. Samarium is available as metal and compounds with purities from 99% to 99.999% (ACS grade to ultra-high purity); metals in the form of foil, sputtering target, and rod, and compounds as submicron and nanopowder. It is also used in laser applications and for its dielectric properties. Samarium-cobalt magnets replaced the more expensive platinum-cobalt magnets in the early 1970s. While now overshadowed by the less expensive neodymium-iron-boron magnet, they are still valued for their ability to function at high temperatures. They are utilized in lightweight electronic equipment where size or space is a limiting factor and where functionality at high temperature is a concern. Applications include electronic watches, aeospace equipment, microwave technology and servomotors. Samarium was first discovered by Paul Emile Lecoq de Boisbaudran in 1879. Samarium is named aftssssser the mineral samarskite. See Samarium research below. 

All elemental metals, compounds and solutions may be synthesized in ultra high purity (e.g. 99.999%) for laboratory standards, advanced electronic, thin fillm deposition using sputtering targets and evaporation materials, metallurgy and optical materials and other high technology applications. Information is provided for stable (non-radioactive) isotopesOrgano-Metallic Samarium compounds are soluble in organic or non-aqueous solvents. See Analytical Services for information on available certified chemical and physical analysis techniques including MS-ICP, X-Ray Diffraction, PSD and Surface Area (BET) analysis. 

Samarium was first discovered by Paul Emile Lecoq de Boisbaudran in 1879. Samarium is named after the mineral samarskite.

Samarium Abundance. The following table shows the abundance of Samarium and each of its naturally occurring isotopes on Earth along with the atomic mass for each isotope.
Isotope Atomic Mass % Abundance on Earth
Sm-144 143.912 3.1
Sm-147 146.915 15.0
Sm-148 147.915 11.3
Sm-149 148.917 13.8
Sm-150 149.917 7.4
Sm-152 151.920 26.7
Sm-154 153.922 22.7


The following table shows the abundance of Samarium present in the human body and in the universe scaled to parts per billion (ppb) by weight and by atom:
  Typical Human Body Universe
by Weight no data 5 ppb
by Atom no data 0.04 ppb


Samarium Safety Data and Biological Role. The safety data for Samarium metalnanoparticles and its compounds can vary widely depending on the form. For potential hazard information, toxicity, and road, sea and air transportation limitations, such as DOT Hazard Class, DOT Number, EU Number, NFPA Health rating and RTECS Class, please see the specific material or compound referenced in the left margin. Samarium compounds have no biological role. 

Ionization Energy. The ionization energy for Samarium (the least required energy to release a single electron from the atom in it‘s ground state in the gas phase) is stated in the following table:
1st Ionization Energy 544.53 kJ mol-1
2nd Ionization Energy 1068.10 kJ mol-1
3rd Ionization Energy 2257.77 kJ mol-1


Conductivity. As to Samarium‘s electrical and thermal conductivity, the electrical conductivity measured in terms of electrical resistivity @ 20 ?C is 88 ?Ocm and its electronegativities (or its ability to draw electrons relative to other elements) is 1.17. The thermal conductivity of Samarium is 13.3 W m-1 K-1. 

Thermal Properties of Samarium. The melting point and boiling point for Samarium are stated below. The following chart sets forth the heat of fusion, heat of vaporization and heat of atomization.
Heat of Fusion 10.9 kJ mol-1
Heat of Vaporization 164.8 kJ mol-1
Heat of Atomization 206.1 kJ mol-1


Formula Atomic Number Molecular Weight Electronegativity (Pauling) Density Melting Point Boiling Point Vanderwaals radius Ionic radius Energy of first ionization
Sm 62 150.35 g.mol-1 1.2 6.9 g.cm-3 at 20 °C 1072 °C 1790 °C unknown unknown 542.3 k