Cerium metal

Cerium metal rods are a kind of metal rods composed of cerium element, silver grey in colour, soft texture, good chemical activity, easy to oxidize in air, relatively low melting point, it is a kind of metal material with many applications in metallurgy, chemical industry, electronics and other fields.

Properties

Appearance: Silver grey in colour with metallic luster.

Texture: It is a soft metal, relatively soft and not very hard, which makes it easy to machine, e.g. it can be cut with a knife.

Density: approx. 6.773 g/cm³, relatively low density, belongs to the category of light metals.

Melting point: The melting point is 795.0°C, which is not very high, and it can be melted under certain temperature conditions for processing or moulding.

Crystal structure: It has cubic crystal structure, which determines its isotropy in physical properties, i.e. it has the same physical properties in different directions.

Activity: more active chemical properties, easy to be oxidised in the air, the surface will form a layer of oxide film, this layer of oxide film can protect the internal metal to a certain extent, but in high temperature and other conditions, the oxidation reaction will be aggravated.

Reactivity: It has strong reducing property and can react with some oxidising agents. For example, it can be used as a reducing agent in the preparation of other rare earth metals.

Applications

Iron and steel production: used as an additive in the production of special steel, it can improve the performance of steel, such as improving the strength, toughness and corrosion resistance of steel. In the production of some alloy steel, the addition of cerium metal rods can make the steel have better mechanical properties and processing performance.

Non-ferrous metal alloys: used in the production of non-ferrous alloys, such as aluminium alloys, magnesium alloys and so on. The addition of cerium metal can improve the strength, hardness and corrosion resistance of the alloy, and also improve the casting performance and processing performance of the alloy.

Glass and ceramic industry: In the production of glass and ceramics, cerium metal can be used as an additive to change the colour, transparency and gloss of glass and ceramics. For example, in the production of some optical glass and special ceramics, the addition of cerium can make the products have better optical properties and physical properties.

Petrochemical: Used as a component of catalysts to catalyse various chemical reactions and improve reaction efficiency and product quality in petroleum refining and chemical production processes. For example, in catalytic cracking, hydrocracking and other processes, cerium metal can be used as an active component of catalysts to promote the reaction.

Energy storage: Used in the preparation of hydrogen storage alloy, cerium metal can form hydrogen storage alloy with other metal elements, this alloy can absorb and release hydrogen under certain conditions, it is an important hydrogen storage material, which is of great significance for the storage and utilisation of hydrogen energy.

Electronic field: in the preparation of electronic materials, cerium metal can be used as a dopant to improve the electrical properties of the material. For example, in the preparation of semiconductor materials, cerium doping can improve the conductivity and stability of the material.

Other fields: the alloy of cerium metal and iron metal is called flint, is commonly used in the lighter ignition material, using its friction heat easy to start a fire.

Grinding and Polishing: Used in the preparation of grinding and polishing materials, due to the moderate hardness of cerium, it can be used as an abrasive in the grinding and polishing of metals, glass, ceramics and other materials to improve processing efficiency and surface quality.