I am finding some interesting facts here, and this is used on regular basis, even if iodine is
used, has side effects too.
LETS LEARN THE ELEMENTS:en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gadolinium[/i]
Gadolinium
europium ← gadolinium → terbium-↑Gd↓Cm
Element 1: Hydrogen (H), Other non-metal
Element 2: Helium (He), Noble gas
Element 3: Lithium (Li), Alkali metal
Element 4: Beryllium (Be), Alkaline earth metal
Element 5: Boron (B), Metalloid
Element 6: Carbon (C), Other non-metal
Element 7: Nitrogen (N), Other non-metal
Element 8: Oxygen (O), Other non-metal
Element 9: Fluorine (F), Halogen
Element 10: Neon (Ne), Noble gas
Element 11: Sodium (Na), Alkali metal
Element 12: Magnesium (Mg), Alkaline earth metal
Element 13: Aluminium (Al), Other metal
Element 14: Silicon (Si), Metalloid
Element 15: Phosphorus (P), Other non-metal
Element 16: Sulfur (S), Other non-metal
Element 17: Chlorine (Cl), Halogen
Element 18: Argon (Ar), Noble gas
Element 19: Potassium (K), Alkali metal
Element 20: Calcium (Ca), Alkaline earth metal
Element 21: Scandium (Sc), Transition metal
Element 22: Titanium (Ti), Transition metal
Element 23: Vanadium (V), Transition metal
Element 24: Chromium (Cr), Transition metal
Element 25: Manganese (Mn), Transition metal
Element 26: Iron (Fe), Transition metal
Element 27: Cobalt (Co), Transition metal
Element 28: Nickel (Ni), Transition metal
Element 29: Copper (Cu), Transition metal
Element 30: Zinc (Zn), Transition metal
Element 31: Gallium (Ga), Other metal
Element 32: Germanium (Ge), Metalloid
Element 33: Arsenic (As), Metalloid
Element 34: Selenium (Se), Other non-metal
Element 35: Bromine (Br), Halogen
Element 36: Krypton (Kr), Noble gas
Element 37: Rubidium (Rb), Alkali metal
Element 38: Strontium (Sr), Alkaline earth metal
Element 39: Yttrium (Y), Transition metal
Element 40: Zirconium (Zr), Transition metal
Element 41: Niobium (Nb), Transition metal
Element 42: Molybdenum (Mo), Transition metal
Element 43: Technetium (Tc), Transition metal
Element 44: Ruthenium (Ru), Transition metal
Element 45: Rhodium (Rh), Transition metal
Element 46: Palladium (Pd), Transition metal
Element 47: Silver (Ag), Transition metal
Element 48: Cadmium (Cd), Transition metal
Element 49: Indium (In), Other metal
Element 50: Tin (Sn), Other metal
Element 51: Antimony (Sb), Metalloid
Element 52: Tellurium (Te), Metalloid
Element 53: Iodine (I), Halogen
Element 54: Xenon (Xe), Noble gas
Element 55: Caesium (Cs), Alkali metal
Element 56: Barium (Ba), Alkaline earth metal
Element 57: Lanthanum (La), Lanthanoid
Element 58: Cerium (Ce), Lanthanoid
Element 59: Praseodymium (Pr), Lanthanoid
Element 60: Neodymium (Nd), Lanthanoid
Element 61: Promethium (Pm), Lanthanoid
Element 62: Samarium (Sm), Lanthanoid
Element 63: Europium (Eu), Lanthanoid
Element 64: Gadolinium (Gd), Lanthanoid
Element 65: Terbium (Tb), Lanthanoid
Element 66: Dysprosium (Dy), Lanthanoid
Element 67: Holmium (Ho), Lanthanoid
Element 68: Erbium (Er), Lanthanoid
Element 69: Thulium (Tm), Lanthanoid
Element 70: Ytterbium (Yb), Lanthanoid
Element 71: Lutetium (Lu), Lanthanoid
Element 72: Hafnium (Hf), Transition metal
Element 73: Tantalum (Ta), Transition metal
Element 74: Tungsten (W), Transition metal
Element 75: Rhenium (Re), Transition metal
Element 76: Osmium (Os), Transition metal
Element 77: Iridium (Ir), Transition metal
Element 78: Platinum (Pt), Transition metal
Element 79: Gold (Au), Transition metal
Element 80: Mercury (Hg), Transition metal
Element 81: Thallium (Tl), Other metal
Element 82: Lead (Pb), Other metal
Element 83: Bismuth (Bi), Other metal
Element 84: Polonium (Po), Other metal
Element 85: Astatine (At), Halogen
Element 86: Radon (Rn), Noble gas
Element 87: Francium (Fr), Alkali metal
Element 88: Radium (Ra), Alkaline earth metal
Element 89: Actinium (Ac), Actinoid
Element 90: Thorium (Th), Actinoid
Element 91: Protactinium (Pa), Actinoid
Element 92: Uranium (U), Actinoid
Element 93: Neptunium (Np), Actinoid
Element 94: Plutonium (Pu), Actinoid
Element 95: Americium (Am), Actinoid
Element 96: Curium (Cm), Actinoid
Element 97: Berkelium (Bk), Actinoid
Element 98: Californium (Cf), Actinoid
Element 99: Einsteinium (Es), Actinoid
Element 100: Fermium (Fm), Actinoid
Element 101: Mendelevium (Md), Actinoid
Element 102: Nobelium (No), Actinoid
Element 103: Lawrencium (Lr), Actinoid
Element 104: Rutherfordium (Rf), Transition metal
Element 105: Dubnium (Db), Transition metal
Element 106: Seaborgium (Sg), Transition metal
Element 107: Bohrium (Bh), Transition metal
Element 108: Hassium (Hs), Transition metal
Element 109: Meitnerium (Mt), Transition metal
Element 110: Darmstadtium (Ds), Transition metal
Element 111: Roentgenium (Rg), Transition metal
Element 112: Ununbium (Uub), Transition metal
Element 113: Ununtrium (Uut)
Element 114: Ununquadium (Uuq)
Element 115: Ununpentium (Uup)
Element 116: Ununhexium (Uuh)
Element 117: Ununseptium (Uus)
Element 118: Ununoctium (Uuo)
Hexagonal crystal structure
64-electron shell64Gd
Periodic table
Appearancesilvery white
General propertiesName, symbol, number gadolinium, Gd, 64Element category lanthanide
Group, period, block n/a, 6, f
Standard atomic weight 157.25 g·mol−1
Electron configuration [Xe] 4f7 5d1 6s2
Electrons per shell 2, 8, 18, 25, 9, 2 (Image)
Physical properties
Phase solid
Density (near r.t.) 7.90 g·cm−3
Liquid density at m.p. 7.4 g·cm−3
Melting point 1585 K, 1312 °C, 2394 °F
Boiling point 3546 K, 3273 °C, 5923 °F
Heat of fusion 10.05 kJ·mol−1
Heat of vaporization 301.3 kJ·mol−1
Specific heat capacity (25 °C) 37.03 J·mol−1·K−1
Vapor pressure (calculated)
P/Pa 1 10 100 1 k 10 k 100 k
at T/K 1836 2028 2267 2573 2976 3535
Atomic properties
Oxidation states 1, 2, 3 (mildly basic oxide)
Electronegativity 1.20 (Pauling scale)
Ionization energies 1st: 593.4 kJ·mol−1
2nd: 1170 kJ·mol−1
3rd: 1990 kJ·mol−1
Atomic radius 180 pm
Covalent radius 196±6 pm
Miscellanea
Crystal structure hexagonal
Magnetic ordering ferromagnetic/paramagnetic
transition at 292 K[1]
Electrical resistivity (r.t.) (α, poly) 1.310 µΩ·m
Thermal conductivity (300 K) 10.6 W·m−1·K−1
Thermal expansion (100 °C) (α, poly) 9.4 µm/(m·K)
Speed of sound (thin rod) (20 °C) 2680 m/s
Young's modulus (α form) 54.8 GPa
Shear modulus (α form) 21.8 GPa
Bulk modulus (α form) 37.9 GPa
Poisson ratio (α form) 0.259
Vickers hardness 570 MPa
CAS registry number 7440-54-2
Most stable isotopes
Main article: Isotopes of gadolinium
iso NA half-life DM DE (MeV) DP
152Gd 0.20% 1.08×1014 y α 2.205 148Sm
154Gd 2.18% 154Gd is stable with 90 neutrons
155Gd 14.80% 155Gd is stable with 91 neutrons
156Gd 20.47% 156Gd is stable with 92 neutrons
157Gd 15.65% 157Gd is stable with 93 neutrons
158Gd 24.84% 158Gd is stable with 94 neutrons
160Gd 21.86% >1.3×1021y β−β− 1.7 160Dy
Gadolinium (pronounced /ˌɡædɵˈlɪniəm/ GAD-o-LIN-ee-əm) is a chemical element that has the symbol Gd and atomic number 64. It is a silvery-white, malleable and ductile rare-earth metal. Gadolinium has exceptionally high absorption of neutrons and therefore is used for shielding in neutron radiography and in nuclear reactors. Because of its paramagnetic properties, solutions of organic gadolinium complexes and gadolinium compounds are the most popular intravenous MRI contrast agents in medical magnetic resonance imaging.
QUESS WHAT? It crystallizes in HEXAGON SHAPE>>>>>>>>>>
PhysicalGadolinium is a silvery-white malleable and ductile rare-earth metal. It crystallizes in hexagonal, close-packed α- form at room temperature, but, when heated to temperatures above 1235 °C, it transforms into its β- form, which has a body-centered cubic structure.[2]
Gadolinium-157 has the highest thermal neutron capture cross-section among any stable nuclides at 259,000 barns. Only xenon-135 has a higher cross section, 2 million barns, but that isotope is unstable.[3]
Gadolinium is
strongly paramagnetic at room temperature, and exhibits
ferromagnetic properties below room temperature. Gadolinium demonstrates a magnetocaloric effect
whereby its temperature increases when it enters a magnetic field and decreases when it leaves the magnetic field. The effect is considerably stronger for the gadolinium alloy Gd5(Si2Ge2).[4]
Individual gadolinium atoms have been isolated by encapsulating them into fullerene molecules and visualized with transmission electron microscope.[5] Individual Gd atoms and small Gd clusters have also been incorporated into carbon nanotubes.[6]...........
......."ChemicalUnlike other rare earth elements, gadolinium is relatively stable in dry air. However, it tarnishes quickly in moist air, forming a loosely-adhering oxide which spalls off, exposing more surface to oxidation.
4 Gd + 3 O2 → 2 Gd2O3
Gadolinium is a strong reducing agent, which reduces oxides of several metals, such as Fe, Cr, Sn, Pb, Mn and Zr, into their elements.[2] Gadolinium is quite electropositive and reacts slowly with cold water and quite quickly with hot water to form gadolinium hydroxide:
2 Gd (s) + 6 H2O (l) → 2 Gd(OH)3 (aq) + 3 H2 (g)
Gadolinium metal reacts with all the halogens at temperature about 200 °C:
2 Gd (s) + 3 F2 (g) → 2 GdF3 (s) [white]
2 Gd (s) + 3 Cl2 (g) → 2 GdCl3 (s) [white]
2 Gd (s) + 3 Br2 (g) → 2 GdBr3 (s) [white]
2 Gd (s) + 3 I2 (g) → 2 GdI3 (s) [yellow]
Gadolinium dissolves readily in dilute sulfuric acid to form solutions containing the colorless Gd(III) ions, which exist as a [Gd(OH2)9]3+ complexes:[7]
2 Gd (s) + 3 H2SO4 (aq) → 2 Gd3+ (aq) + 3 SO2−4 (aq) + 3 H2 (g)
Gadolinium combines with nitrogen, carbon, sulfur, phosphorus, boron, selenium, silicon and arsenic at elevated temperatures, forming binary compounds.[2] In those compounds, Gd mostly exhibit oxidation state +3. Gadolinium(II) halides are obtained by annealing Gd(III) halides in presence of metallic Gd in tantalum containers. Gadolinium also form sesquichloride Gd2Cl3, which can be further reduced to GdCl by annealing at 800 °C. This gadolinium(I) chloride forms platelets with layered graphite-like structure.[8]
[edit] Compounds
See also: Category:Gadolinium compounds
Compounds of gadolinium include:
* Fluorides: GdF3
* Chlorides: GdCl3
* Bromides: GdBr3
* Nitrates: Gd(NO3)3
* Iodides: GdI3
* Oxides: Gd2O3
* Sulfides: Gd2S3
* Nitrides: GdN
* Organics: gadodiamide
Isotopes
Main article: Isotopes of gadolinium
Naturally occurring gadolinium is composed of 6 stable isotopes, 154Gd, 155Gd, 156Gd, 157Gd, 158Gd and 160Gd, and 1 radioisotope, 152Gd, with 158Gd being the most abundant (24.84% natural abundance). The predicted double beta decay of 160Gd has never been observed (only lower limit on its half-life of more than 1.3×1021 years has been set experimentally [9]).
Twenty-nine radioisotopes have been characterized, with the most stable being alpha-decaying 152Gd (naturally occurring) with a half-life of 1.08×1014 years, and 150Gd with a half-life of 1.79×106 years. All of the remaining radioactive isotopes have half-lives less than 74.7 years. The majority of these have half-lives less than 24.6 seconds. Gadolinium isotopes have 4 metastable isomers, with the most stable being 143mGd (T½=110 seconds), 145mGd (T½=85 seconds) and 141mGd (T½=24.5 seconds).
The primary decay mode at atomic masses lower than the most abundant stable isotope, 158Gd, is electron capture, and the primary mode at higher atomic masses is beta decay. The primary decay products for isotopes of weights lower than 158Gd are the element Eu (europium) isotopes and the primary products at higher weights are the element Tb (terbium) isotopes.'"........
.
..."Applications
Gadolinium has the highest neutron cross-section among any stable nuclides, 61,000 barns for 155Gd and 259,000 barns for 157Gd (compare with Gd ionic radius ~100,000,000 barns). 157Gd has been used to target tumors in neutron therapy. This element is very effective for use with neutron radiography and in shielding of nuclear reactors. It is used as a secondary, emergency shut-down measure in some nuclear reactors, particularly of the CANDU type.[2] Gadolinium is also used in nuclear marine propulsion systems as a burnable poison.
Gadolinium is an efficient catalyst used for decarboxylation of oxaloacetic acid, conversion of ortho- to para-hydrogen and polymerization of ethylene.[2]"......
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POLYMERIZATION OF ETHYLENE!a bit at a time.....
gadolinium atoms have been isolated by encapsulating them into fullerene molecules ....nanotubes"
well the balls are bucking again! Buckyballs, that is!
skyship