21 Thulium Uses : Facts You Should Know

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Thulium (Tm) is a chemical element that belongs to the thirteenth group of the lanthanide series having a molar mass of 168.9 u. Let us explore the various applications of thulium.

Thulium is used in the following fields, which are listed below:

  • X-ray Source
  • Laser
  • Conductors
  • Microwaves
  • Radiation Instruments
  • Alloys
  • Nuclear Study

X-ray Source

  • Thulium, bombarded with neutrons in a nuclear reactor, is used in X-ray devices to produce the isotope Thulium-170, which has five major emission lines of equivalent intensities.
  • Stable thulium (Tm-169) can be used as a radiation source in portable X-ray instruments when bombarded in a nuclear reactor.
  • The radioactive thulium sources are utilized to detect faults in inaccessible electronic and mechanical components.
  • Thulium radioactive sources (Thulium-170) are among the most often used radiation sources in industrial radiography.
  • Thulium-170 is also gaining prominence as an X-ray source for radiation therapy.

Laser

  • Thulium is utilized as an active laser medium material in lasers alongside holmium, chromium, and yttrium aluminium garnet (YAG).
  • Thulium-based lasers are employed in military applications, meteorology, and medicine.
  • The wavelength of thulium-based lasers is ideal for superficial tissue ablation with minimum coagulation depth in air or water.
  • Thulium is utilized as a dopant in fibre lasers.
  • Thulium is used in portable X-ray equipment, which archaeologists use to analyze symbols and markings on metallic antiquities.
  • Thulium-containing lasers are employed in satellites that capture images of the earth’s surface.

Conductors

  • Thulium has been utilized in superconductors that operate at higher temperatures (above 77K).
  • Thulium Arsenide is a solid crystalline substance that is utilized as a semiconductor and in optical photo applications.

Microwaves

Natural thulium is used in manufacturing ceramic magnetic materials called ferrites, which are employed in microwave equipment.

Radiation Instruments

  • Thulium-doped calcium sulfate, due to its fluorescence property, has been used in personal radiation dosimeters for visual radiation monitoring.
  • Thulium-doped halides with Tm in its +2 valence state are potential luminous materials that could facilitate efficient electricity-generating windows which work on the luminescent solar concentrator principle.

Alloys

Thulium is used in the production of alloys with other lanthanides (rare earth metals).

Nuclear Study

  • Arc lighting and nuclear research both make use of thulium.
  • Thulium is utilized as a source of radiation in nuclear reactions.
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Uses of Thulium

Conclusion

Thulium is the second-least abundant lanthanide element with a density of 9.32 g/cm3. It is relatively light, malleable, ductile, and tarnishes slowly in air. Thulium isotopes range from 145Tm to 179Tm. Amongst these, the only naturally stable isotope of thulium is 169Tm, while 171Tm is the longest-lived radioisotope.