25 Praseodymium Uses: Facts You Should Know!

Praseodymium is a chemical element with atomic number 59, represented by symbol Pr. Let us study different applications of Praseodymium (Pr).

• Optics and Photonics
• Industry

Let us focus on different application of praseodymium compounds like nitrate, fluoride, chloride, bromide, etc. in detail in this article.

Optics and Photonics

Praseodymium has a different uses in the field of optics and photonics

• Praseodymium based on its ability are mainly involved in to filter yellow light from light sources.
• Used in fibre lasers, single-mode fibre optical amplifiers, DPSS-lasers, etc.
• It is used as activators in green, red, blue, and ultraviolet phosphors.

Industry

The different applications in industry are:

• It is used in aircraft engines
• Praseodymium catalysts is used in polishing glass
• It is used in the manufacture of glass bowlers and welders.

Praseodymium oxide uses

Praseodymium oxide is a chemical compound made from Praseodymium and oxygen, having formula Pr₂O₃. They are formed in white hexagonal crystals.

The applications of Pr₂O₃ are discussed herewith.

• Research
• Painting
• Equipment’s

Research

• When combine with silicon, Pr₂O₃ is used as dielectric.
• Pr₂O₃ combines with magnesium ion is used as an alloying agent.

Painting

• Pr₂O₃ is used to color glass and ceramics yellow.
• Pr₂O₃ lights up the arc in carbon electrodes which gives the yellow color to the glass.

Equipment’s

• It is used in conjunction with a promoter like sodium or gold, which improves its catalytic performance.
• It is used in welding goggles.

Praseodymium nitrate uses

Praseodymium nitrate with chemical formula Pr(NO₃)₃ is a green coloured chemical compound. It is soluble in polar solvents, forms hexahydrate and is a very hygroscopic compound.

Pr(NO₃)₃ is mainly used in the field of research, uses are discussed below.

• Pr(NO₃)₃ is used in phosphors and fluorescent display tubes.
• It is majorly used in solvothermal process for the production of doped lanthanide oxysulfides.
• Pr(NO₃)₃ is used in ultrasonic synthesis of praseodymium molybdate.

Praseodymium fluoride uses

Praseodymium fluoride exits in three forms, PrF₂, PrF₃ and PrF₄. PrF₃ is an inorganic compound and is most stable fluoride of praseodymium.

The different applications of praseodymium fluoride are discussed below.

• Physics
• Film Making

Physics

• PrF₃ is used for vacuum deposition.
• PrF₃ is used in the making of arc carbon additives and praseodymium metals.
• Doping Praseodymium in Fluoride glass can be used as a single mode fibre optical amplifier.

Film Making

• PrF₃ is used in motion picture industry for projector lights and studio lighting.

Praseodymium chloride uses

Praseodymium chloride with chemical formula PrCl₃ is a blue green coloured chemical solid occurs in both hydrated and anhydrous forms.

The applications of PrCl₃ are  mainly in the field of chemistry, which are listed down as follows

• It is used as a starting point in the preparation of praseodymium salts.
• It increases the activity of Pr₆O₁₁, which is used in the oxidation of methane to ethane.
• PrCl₃ used in producing metal praseodymium, glass ceramics, praseodymium compounds, and colouring.

Praseodymium bromide uses

Praseodymium bromide is a crystalline compound composed of 1 Praseodymium atom and three bromine atoms, having chemical formula PrBr₃. It is green solid which is usually handled in powder form.

The uses are written down as follows

• Film Making
• Equipments

Film Making

• Praseodymium (III) bromide is used in motion picture industry.
• It is used in color cubic zirconia to simulate peridot.

Equipment’s

• Used in production of Welder and glass blower goggles.

Conclusion

Praseodymium is a member of rare earth metals. Compounds of Praseodymium gives enamels, glasses, and ceramics a yellow color. It is used in wind turbines as permanent magnets. In a future powered by renewable energy, praseodymium will be one of the key targets of geopolitical struggle.