CHEMISTRY GLOSSARY

Praseodymium was discovered by Carl F. Auer von Welsbach (Austria) in 1885. The origin of the name comes from the Greek words prasios didymos meaning green twin. It is silvery white, moderately soft, malleable, ductile metal. Reacts slowly with oxygen. Reacts rapidly with water. Metal ignites and burns readily. Praseodymium is obtained from same salts as neodymium. Used with neodymium to make lenses for glass maker’s goggles since it filters out the yellow light present in glass blowing. Alloyed with magnesium creates a high-strength metal used in aircraft engines. Misch metal, used in the manufacture of pyrophoric alloys for cigarette lighters, contains about 5 % praseodymium metal. (Typically composition of misch metal are Ce:Nd:Pr:La:Other rare earth=50:18:6:22:4).