Jul 4 2013
The potential for nanoparticles in medical imaging, industrial applications, disease diagnoses, and several other fields is immense with researchers relentlessly exploring new uses.
Lutetium is a Block F, Period 6 element. It resists corrosion in dry air. The morphology of these particles is spherical, and they appear as a black powder. Due to its rarity and high price, lutetium has limited commercial uses.
Lutetium nanoparticles are graded as a flammable solid.
Chemical Properties
The chemical properties of lutetium nanoparticles are outlined in the following table.
| Chemical Data |
| Chemical symbol |
Lu |
| CAS No. |
7439-94-3 |
| Group |
3 |
| Electronic configuration |
[Xe] 4f15 5d1 6s2 |
Physical Properties
The physical properties of lutetium nanoparticles are given in the following table.
| Properties |
Metric |
Imperial |
| Density |
9.841 g/cm3 |
0.3555 lb/in3 |
| Molar mass |
174.97 g/mol |
- |
Thermal Properties
The thermal properties of lutetium nanoparticles are provided in the table below.
| Properties |
Metric |
Imperial |
| Melting point |
1663°C |
3025°F |
| Boiling point |
3402°C |
6156°F |
Manufacturing Process
Lutetium is one of the most difficult elements to produce; however it can be produced through an ion exchange process from monazite sand, which is a material rich in rare earth elements.
Applications
The potential applications of lutetium nanoparticles are in the following areas:
- As a dopant in glass, laser optics and optical fibers
- In phosphors, nanophosphors and doped phosphorous nanoparticles
- In coatings, plastics and nanowires
- In alloy and catalyst applications.
Source: AZoNano