More info:
Gadolinium was discovered towards the end of the nineteenth century and named after the silicate mineral Gadolinite in which it can be found in traces. It shows unusual change in magnetic properties (ferromagnetic to paramagnetic transition) at 20°C, and has significant use as an additive in iron/chromium metallurgy. Fluorescence of Gadolinium(III) compounds is used in developing phosphors. Gadolinium compounds have very high neutron absorption capability and can be used as shields in nuclear reactors. The paramagnetic properties of Gadolinium have been used in clever design of 'contrasting agents' for recording MRI of human organs.
More info about the International Year of the Periodic Table (IYPT) in crystals project:
This project (#IYPTCrystals) is part of the International Year of the Periodic Table celebration (#IYPT2019), read more about the project here. You can follow us on social media using #IYPTCrystals and learn more about the wonders of crystals by following the CCDC on Twitter @ccdc_cambridge on Facebook ccdc.cambridge, on Instagram ccdc_cambridge or on YouTube CCDCCambridge.
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