Neodymium
Neodimio (Nd, Z=60)
- Date
- 1885 · confidence high
- Place
- Vienna, Austria
- Credited to
- Carl Auer von Welsbach
- People
- 👤 Carl Auer von Welsbach1858–1929
- Field
- Matter & energy
What was discovered
Auer isolated neodymium as the second half of didymium after hundreds of fractional crystallisations.
The 'new twin' of praseodymium.
What it led to
- NdFeB permanent magnets (motors, hard drives, headphones)
- The Nd:YAG laser
- Coloured glass and filters
Built on
- Didymium1841
- Fractional crystallisation
Made possible
- Neodymium-iron-boron magnet1982-1984
- Nd:YAG laser