Neodymium
Atomic Data
| Atomic Number | 60 |
| Symbol | Nd |
| Atomic Weight | 144.24 u |
| Density (STP) | 7.01 g/cm³ |
| Melting Point | 1023.85 °C (1297 K) |
| Boiling Point | 3073.85 °C (3347 K) |
| Electronegativity | 1.14 (Pauling) |
| Electron Config. | 1s2 2s2 2p6 3s2 3p6 3d10 4s2 4p6 4d10 4f4 5s2 5p6 6s2 |
| Oxidation States | +3 |
| Phase at STP | Solid |
| Category | Lanthanoid |
| Period / Group | 6 / None |
| CAS Number | 7440-00-8 |
Electron Configuration
[Xe] 4f4 6s2
| Shell | n | Subshell | Electrons | Cumulative |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| K | 1 | 1s | 2 | 2 |
| L | 2 | 2s | 2 | 4 |
| L | 2 | 2p | 6 | 10 |
| M | 3 | 3s | 2 | 12 |
| M | 3 | 3p | 6 | 18 |
| M | 3 | 3d | 10 | 28 |
| N | 4 | 4s | 2 | 30 |
| N | 4 | 4p | 6 | 36 |
| N | 4 | 4d | 10 | 46 |
| N | 4 | 4f | 4 | 50 |
| O | 5 | 5s | 2 | 52 |
| O | 5 | 5p | 6 | 58 |
| P | 6 | 6s | 2 | 60 |
| Total | 60 | 60 | ||
Isotopes of Neodymium
Neodymium has seven naturally occurring stable isotopes. The most abundant is ¹⁴²Nd, comprising 27.2% of all naturally occurring Neodymium.
| Isotope | Symbol | Protons | Neutrons | Abundance | Stability |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Neodymium-142 | ¹⁴²Nd | 60 | 82 | 27.2 | Stable |
| Neodymium-143 | ¹⁴³Nd | 60 | 83 | 12.2 | Stable |
| Neodymium-144 | ¹⁴⁴Nd | 60 | 84 | 23.8 | Stable |
| Neodymium-145 | ¹⁴⁵Nd | 60 | 85 | 8.3 | Stable |
| Neodymium-146 | ¹⁴⁶Nd | 60 | 86 | 17.2 | Stable |
| Neodymium-148 | ¹⁴⁸Nd | 60 | 88 | 5.7 | Stable |
| Neodymium-150 | ¹⁵⁰Nd | 60 | 90 | 5.6 | Stable |
Abundance & Occurrence
Neodymium is present in Earth's crust at approximately 41 ppm by mass and at approximately 0.6 ppm by mass throughout the universe.
Earth's Crust (ppm by mass)
Universe (ppm by mass)
Discovery & History
Read more about the discovery of the periodic table of elements →
Safety & Handling
- Dust inhalation: Neodymium metal dust and neodymium oxide are respiratory irritants; occupational exposure to lanthanide dusts in rare-earth processing plants has been linked to rare-earth pneumoconiosis.
- Neodymium magnet hazards: NdFeB permanent magnets are extremely powerful and attract ferromagnetic objects with great force; fingers and hands can be severely crushed or fractured if caught between magnets or between a magnet and a steel surface.
- Magnet implant and device interference: Strong neodymium magnets can interfere with pacemakers, implanted defibrillators, and other active medical implants; individuals with such devices must maintain safe distance from large NdFeB magnets.
- Fire hazard: powder: Neodymium metal powder is flammable; Class D agents are required for metal fires.
Neodymium in the Real World
Real-World Uses
- High-strength permanent magnets: Nd₂Fe₁₄B (neodymium iron boron) magnets are the strongest permanent magnets known, used in EV traction motors, direct-drive wind turbine generators, hard drive read/write heads, and loudspeakers.
- Neodymium glass lasers: Nd:glass lasers amplify light at 1053 nm and deliver the world's highest peak laser powers in inertial confinement fusion experiments (NIF, Laser Mégajoule) that attempt to achieve net fusion energy.
- UV-filtering glass: Neodymium oxide gives glass a purple-violet hue and absorbs the sodium yellow emission at 589 nm, used in glass-blowers' goggles and colour-corrected stage lighting glass envelopes.
- Nd:YAG lasers: Neodymium-doped yttrium aluminium garnet (Nd:YAG) lasers emit at 1064 nm and are used in laser cutting, welding, rangefinders, ophthalmology, and cosmetic treatments.
- Colouring agents in ceramics: Neodymium produces vivid lavender to blue-violet colours in glass and ceramic glazes depending on the host composition, used in decorative glass, studio pottery, and lighting components.
Downloadable Resources
Free periodic table reference sheets for classrooms, study sessions, and laboratory use.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is neodymium used for?
Neodymium is a key component of neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB) permanent magnets: the strongest permanent magnets known. These magnets are essential in electric motors in hybrid and electric vehicles, wind turbines, hard disk drives, headphones, and MRI machines. Neodymium-doped YAG lasers (Nd:YAG) are widely used in manufacturing, surgery, and rangefinding. Neodymium glass produces a sharp purple colour.
Why are neodymium magnets so strong?
Neodymium-iron-boron (NdFeB) magnets derive their exceptional strength from a combination of the large magnetic moment of neodymium ions, the strong coupling between neodymium and iron within the Nd2Fe14B crystal structure, and extremely high magnetic anisotropy: the magnetisation is locked along a preferred crystal axis, making the magnet very resistant to demagnetisation. Their energy product (BHmax) is about 5–10 times higher than the previous best permanent magnets (samarium-cobalt).
How was neodymium discovered?
Neodymium was discovered in 1885 by Austrian chemist Carl Auer von Welsbach alongside praseodymium, when he separated the mixture 'didymium' into two distinct elements. He named the new elements praseodymium (green twin) and neodymium (new twin): the latter from the Greek 'neos didymos' meaning new twin, since it was the newly identified second component of didymium.
Are neodymium magnets dangerous?
Large neodymium magnets can be genuinely dangerous. Two magnets attracting each other can snap together with enough force to crush fingers, shatter both magnets, and launch fragments at high speed. They can erase credit cards, damage pacemakers and hearing aids, and interfere with electronics. Children who swallow multiple small neodymium magnets face a medical emergency: the magnets attract each other through intestinal walls, causing perforations. Handling large NdFeB magnets requires care.