Nanochemistry in Action

(PhysOrg.com) -- Using a single-walled carbon nanotube (SWCNT) as a test tube, scientists can explore chemistry at the nanoscale, which involves some unique effects. Nanotubes provide a confined, one-dimensional space in ...

Engineers figure out how to make more efficient fuel cells

Solar power and other sources of renewable energy can help combat global warming but they have a drawback: they don't produce energy as predictably as plants powered by oil, coal or natural gas. Solar panels only produce ...

Cerium's unusual behaviour

(PhysOrg.com) -- Livermore researchers have found that a crystal of cerium -- the chemical element that can be used for catalysts and fuel additives -- behaves in very unique ways when subjected to high pressures.

Under pressure, atoms make unlikely alloys

(PhysOrg.com) -- Ever since the Bronze Age, humans have experimented with combining different metals to create alloys with properties superior to either metal alone. But not all metals readily form alloys - for some pairs ...

Scientists investigate how cerium is produced in the universe

Cerium is a rare Earth metal that has numerous technological applications, for example, in some types of lightbulbs and flat-screen TVs. While the element is rare in Earth's crust, it is slightly more abundant in the universe. ...

page 1 from 5

Cerium

Cerium /ˈsɪəriəm/ is a chemical element with the symbol Ce and atomic number 58. It is a soft, silvery, ductile metal which easily oxidizes in air. Cerium was named after the dwarf planet Ceres (itself named for the Roman goddess of agriculture). Cerium is the most abundant of the rare earth elements, making up about 0.0046% of the Earth's crust by weight. It is found in a number of minerals, the most important being monazite and bastnasite. Commercial applications of cerium are numerous. They include catalysts, additives to fuel to reduce emissions and to glass and enamels to change their color. Cerium oxide is an important component of glass polishing powders and phosphors used in screens and fluorescent lamps.

This text uses material from Wikipedia, licensed under CC BY-SA