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Praseodymium was discovered in 1885 when it was separated from an earth called didymium.
The earth was thought to contain a mixture of elements, and not a fundamental
substance in its own right.
Spectroscopic data
of didymium yielded two absorption bands, one in the blue region and another in the yellow.
When the two elements were separated, the names praseodymia (green didymia) and
neodymia (new didymia), which were later modified to conform to standardized nomenclature
requiring such metals to have an -ium suffix.
The name praseodymium was taken from the Greek meaning "green twin".
Praseodymium is a silvery white, fairly soft, malleable, and ductile metal. It is moderately
reactive in air, developing a green oxide coating that falls off to expose fresh metal
for further
oxidation. The metal is also quite reactive in water.
Praseodymium is a
rare-earth metal, and is also a member of the
lanthanide series.
Praseodymium is used as high-strength alloying agent in the
magnesium used in parts of aircraft engines. It is an important alloying agent
in steel. About 5% praseodymium is used in the manufacture of flints that are used for
creating sparks.
Other applications include using a mixture of praseodymium and neodymium in
the manufacture of welder's and glassmaker's goggles because they filter out the yellow
light in glass blowing. Certain praseodymium compounds are used as yellow pigments.
