Samarium oxide

Chemical properties

light beige crystalline powder

Physical properties

Yellowish-white powder; density 8.347g/cm³; insoluble in water; dissolves readily in mineral acids.

The Uses of Samarium oxide

Samarium sesquioxide is used in optical and infrared absorbing glass to absorb infrared radiation. Also, it is used as a neutron absorber in control rods for nuclear power reactors. The oxide catalyzes dehydration of acyclic primary alcohols to aldehydes and ketones. Another use involves preparation of other samarium salts.

The Uses of Samarium oxide

Samarium(III) oxide is used in optical and infrared absorbing glass to absorb infrared radiation. It finds use as a neutron absorber in nuclear power reactors to control the reaction. It is also used as a catalyst for the dehydration of primary alcohols to aldehydes or ketones. It forms samarium perchlorate when treated with perchloric acid, which is used as a reference material for checking the wavelength scale of a spectrophotometer in the range of 200 to 500 nm.

What are the applications of Application

Samarium(III) oxide is a lanthanide period salt for proteomics research

Preparation

Samarium sesquioxide may be prepared by two methods; (1) thermal decomposition of samarium carbonate, hydroxide, nitrate, oxalate or sulfate:
Sm₂(CO₃)₃ → Sm₂O₃ + 3CO₂
2Sm(OH)₃ → Sm₂O₃ + 3H₂O
or (2) by burning the metal in air or oxygen at a temperature above 150°C:
4Sm + 3O₂ → 2Sm₂O₃.