Cerium is a silver-gray reactive metal that easily ignites in air when in powder form and is readily soluble in acids. Its name is derived from the English name of the asteroid Ceres. The abundance of cerium in the Earth's crust is approximately0.0046%, is the most abundant among rare earth elements. Metallic cerium is mainly used as a reducing agent.

Main Uses

1.Used as a reducing agent and catalyst.

2.Used as an alloy additive and for the production of cerium salts, etc., it is also utilized in industries such as pharmaceuticals, leather, glass, and textiles.

3.Cerium can be used as a catalyst, arc electrode, special glass, and more. Cerium alloys are highly heat-resistant and can be used to manufacture jet propulsion components.

Here is the specific example as follows:

Environmentally friendly materials

Cerium is also used as an excellent environmentally friendly material, with one of the most representative applications currently being automotive exhaust purification catalysts. In the widely used precious metals(Platinum, rhodium, palladium, etc.)Adding cerium to a three-way catalyst can enhance catalyst performance and reduce the usage of precious metals. The main pollutants in automobile exhaust are carbon monoxide, hydrocarbons, and nitrogen oxides, which can affect the human hematopoietic system, form photochemical toxic smog, and produce carcinogens, causing harm to humans, animals, and plants. Three-way catalytic conversion technology enables the complete oxidation of hydrocarbons and carbon monoxide into carbon dioxide and water, while decomposing nitrogen oxides into nitrogen and oxygen.(Hence, it is called three-way catalytic converter.)Precious metals such as platinum, rhodium, and palladium are excellent catalytic materials for exhaust purification. However, their high cost and stringent requirements for engines and gasoline limit their widespread application. Adding cerium to catalysts can significantly reduce the amount of precious metals needed and improve catalytic performance, greatly lowering the price of catalytic converters. In the United States, automotive exhaust purification catalysts have become the largest consumers of rare earths. Cerium oxide can also be combined with nano-titanium dioxide to create photocatalysts, which are used in antibacterial ceramics and oxygen-rich eco-friendly coatings.

Substitution of Hazardous Metals

Cerium sulfide can replace harmful metals such as lead and cadmium, which are detrimental to the environment and human health, as a red colorant for plastics. It is also used in industries such as coatings, inks, and paper. The French company Rhodia currently holds the **technology. Organic compounds such as cerium-rich light rare earth naphthenates are also used as paint driers,PVCPlastic stabilizers andMCIn areas such as nylon modifiers, it can replace highly toxic substances like lead salts while also reducing the use of expensive materials like cobalt salts.

Special functional materials

Cerium is also used to manufacture many special functional materials, such as fluorescent-grade cerium oxide, which is used to produce the green phosphor in tri-color fluorescent powders for lamps.(CeMgA111O19:Tb3+); Developed by the United StatesCe:LiSAFSolid-state lasers in laser systems can be used to detect biological weapons by monitoring tryptophan concentration, and also have medical applications. Cerium metal can be used to produce cerium-cobalt-copper-iron permanent magnet materials; cerium-tungsten electrodes can replace radioactive thorium-tungsten electrodes, among other uses.

Plant growth regulator

Cerium-based light rare earth elements, when used as plant growth regulators, can improve crop quality, increase yield, and enhance crop stress resistance. As feed additives, they can boost the egg-laying rate of poultry and the survival rate of fish and shrimp farming, as well as improve the wool quality of long-haired sheep. Cerium is a substance with low toxicity. According to a U.S. monograph on rare earths, feeding experiments on mice showed that the oral toxicity of cerium-rich light rare earth oxides is comparable to that of table salt. To date, no endemic diseases caused by rare earths have been found in areas rich in rare earth minerals. Chinese scientists, through extensive experimental research, believe that the agricultural use of rare earths will not cause environmental pollution or pose harm to the survival of humans and animals.