Dysprosium
In 1886, French chemist Paul Émile Lecoq de Boisbaudran worked in Paris to separate dysprosium oxide from holmium oxide. He dissolved the oxide in acid and added ammonia to precipitate the hydroxide. This procedure required more than thirty attempts before he finally succeeded. The element was named dysprosium after the Greek word dysprositos, meaning hard to get. It remained a rare curiosity until ion-exchange techniques developed by Frank Spedding at Iowa State University isolated it in pure form during the early 1950s.
Dysprosium and holmium possess the highest magnetic strengths of all elements, particularly when temperatures drop below zero degrees Celsius. Below its Curie temperature, the metal exhibits simple ferromagnetic ordering with atomic moments aligned in parallel layers. A first-order phase transition occurs as the crystal structure shifts from orthorhombic to hexagonal close-packed. This transformation leads to a helical antiferromagnetic state where adjacent layers orient at fixed angles. The material eventually becomes disordered and paramagnetic at higher temperatures near minus 200 degrees Celsius.
The metal retains its bright silver luster in dry air but tarnishes slowly when exposed to moist conditions. Burning readily produces dysprosium(III) oxide while reacting slowly with cold water to form hydroxide gas. Hot water accelerates this reaction significantly, releasing hydrogen bubbles into the solution. Vigorous reactions occur with halogens above 200 degrees Celsius, creating green or white solid compounds depending on the specific element involved. Dysprosium dissolves in dilute sulfuric acid to yield yellow ions existing as complex structures within the liquid.
Naturally occurring dysprosium consists of seven isotopes ranging from mass 156 to 164, with 164Dy being the most abundant at 28 percent. These are considered stable, though only the last two are theoretically immune to decay processes like alpha emission. In 2011, scientists obtained the first Bose-Einstein condensate using dysprosium atoms for quantum physics experiments. By 2021, researchers turned the element into a two-dimensional supersolid quantum gas exhibiting unusual properties such as superfluidity. The high magnetic nature makes these gases ideal for simulating strongly dipolar atomic interactions.
Worldwide production reached approximately 3100 tonnes in 2021, with China contributing 40 percent and Myanmar adding another 31 percent. Prices climbed dramatically from $7 per pound in 2003 to over $1,400 per kilogram by 2011 before falling back to around $240 per kilogram in 2015. This volatility stemmed largely from illegal production activities within China that circumvented government restrictions on exports. Most current supply comes from ion-adsorption clay ores found in southern regions of the country. Australia hosts nascent extraction industries including the Browns Range Project pilot plant located 160 kilometers southeast of Halls Creek.
Neodymium-iron-boron magnets can substitute up to 6 percent of their neodymium content with dysprosium to raise coercivity for demanding applications. Drive motors for electric vehicles require roughly 100 grams of the element per car produced according to Toyota's projected annual output of 2 million units. Wind turbine generators also rely heavily on these permanent magnets for efficient operation despite some critics arguing most turbines do not use them. The United States Department of Energy identified dysprosium as the single most critical element for emerging clean energy technologies due to a lack of suitable replacements. Conservative projections predicted a shortfall of available supply before the year 2015.
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Common questions
Who discovered dysprosium and when did the discovery occur?
French chemist Paul Émile Lecoq de Boisbaudran discovered dysprosium in 1886 while working in Paris. He successfully separated the element from holmium oxide after more than thirty attempts using acid dissolution and ammonia precipitation.
What are the magnetic properties of dysprosium at low temperatures?
Dysprosium possesses the highest magnetic strength among all elements when temperatures drop below zero degrees Celsius. Below its Curie temperature, the metal exhibits simple ferromagnetic ordering with atomic moments aligned in parallel layers before shifting to a helical antiferromagnetic state.
How does dysprosium react with water and acids under different conditions?
The metal reacts slowly with cold water to form hydroxide gas but releases hydrogen bubbles vigorously when exposed to hot water. Dysprosium dissolves in dilute sulfuric acid to yield yellow ions existing as complex structures within the liquid.
Which isotopes make up naturally occurring dysprosium and what is their abundance?
Naturally occurring dysprosium consists of seven isotopes ranging from mass 156 to 164 with 164Dy being the most abundant at 28 percent. These isotopes are considered stable though only the last two are theoretically immune to decay processes like alpha emission.
Where is dysprosium produced globally and which countries dominate supply?
Worldwide production reached approximately 3100 tonnes in 2021 with China contributing 40 percent and Myanmar adding another 31 percent. Most current supply comes from ion-adsorption clay ores found in southern regions of China while Australia hosts nascent extraction industries including the Browns Range Project pilot plant located 160 kilometers southeast of Halls Creek.