Question

Write the uses of Lanthanides.

Answer 1

Lanthanides:
$1$. A pyrophoric alloy which contains cerium, lanthanum and Neodymium, iron; aluminium; calcium, carbon and silicon is used in cigarette lighters, toys, flame throwing tanks and tracer bullets.
$2$. Ceria $\left(Ce{O}_2\right)$ and thoria $\left(Th{O}_2\right)$ are used in gas lamp materials.
$3$. Cerium salts are used in dyeing cotton, lead storage batteries and as catalyst.
$4$. Lanthanides are used in metallothermic reactions due to their extraordinary reducing property. Lanthanido-thermic processes can yield sufficiently pure Nb, Zr, Fe, Co, Ni, Mn, Y, W, U, B and Si.
$5$. Alloys of Lanthanides are known as mish-metals. The major constituents of mish-metals are $Ce(45-50\%)$, $La\left(25\%\right),Nd\left(5\%\right)$ and small quantities of other lanthanide metals and Fe and Ca impurities. Mish-metals are used for the production of brands of steel like heat resistant, stainless and instrumental steels. Mg-alloys containing $30\%$ mishmetal and $1\%$ Zr are useful in making parts of jet engines.