Holmium (Ho)
| Atomic Number | 67 |
|---|---|
| Atomic Mass | 164.930332 u |
| Category | Lanthanide |
| Electron Config | [Xe] 4f¹¹ 6s² |
| Appearance | silvery white |
| Density (STP) | 8795 g/L |
| Melting Point | 1734 K |
| Boiling Point | 2873 K |
| Electronegativity | 1.23 (Pauling) |
| Ionization Energy | 581 kJ/mol |
| Atomic Radius | 175 pm |
| Crystal Structure | Simple Hexagonal |
| Discovered By | Marc Delafontaine (1878) |
Brief Introduction
Holmium (Ho) is a soft, silvery rare earth metal with the highest magnetic moment of any naturally occurring element. It has a bright silvery luster and is relatively stable in dry air. Key details about Holmium (Ho) are as follows:
Uses: Used in the strongest artificially generated magnetic fields, lasers (holmium-YAG laser for medical and dental applications), nuclear reactor control rods, and as a yellow or red colorant for cubic zirconia and glass.
Production/Extraction: Extracted from monazite and bastnäsite ores. One of the rarer rare earth elements. China is the primary producer.
History: Discovered in 1878 by Marc Delafontaine and Jacques-Louis Soret in Switzerland through spectroscopic analysis, and independently by Per Teodor Cleve in Sweden. Named after Holmia, the Latin name for Stockholm.
Health Effects & Safety: Low toxicity with limited data. No known biological role. Holmium compounds should be handled with standard precautions.
Price/Market: Expensive due to low abundance and limited applications. Niche demand from laser and magnetic applications. Supply tied to rare earth production.
Properties: Highest magnetic moment of any naturally occurring element, soft and malleable, exhibits +3 oxidation state, paramagnetic, and has distinctive absorption spectrum used in spectrophotometer calibration.
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