Cerium was discovered by Martin Heinrich Klaproth (Germany) and by Jöns Jacob Berzelius (Sweden) in 1803 and Wilhelm von Hisinger (Germany) in 1814. Named after the asteroid Ceres which discovered two years before the element. It is malleable, ductile, iron-grey metal. Tarnishes in air; reacts easily with water. Dissolves in acids; ignites when heated. Metal ignites and burns readily. Strong reductant.
Cerium is most abundant rare earth metal. Found in many minerals like monazite sand [Ce(PO4)]. Its oxides are used in the optics and glass-making industries. Its salts are used in the photography and textile industry. Used in high-intensity carbon lamps and as alloying agents in special metals. The price of 99.8 % pure cerium ingot is 256.20 € for 250 g.
POTENZIALI DI RIDUZIONE STANDARD
Semi-Reazione
Eo / V
Annotazione
Ce3+ + 3e- Ce(s)
- 2.48
Ce(OH)22+ + 2H+ + e- Ce3+ + 2H2O
+1.73
Ce(OH)3+ + H+ + e- Ce3+ + H2O
+1.71
Ce(ClO4)62- + e- Ce3+ + 6ClO4-
+1.70
1 mol dm-3 HClO4
Ce(NO3)62- + e- Ce3+ + 6NO3-
+1.61
1 mol dm-3 HNO3
Ce(SO4)32- + e- Ce3+ + 3SO42-
+1.44
1 mol dm-3 H2SO4
Sources of literature are given on the bibliographic page.
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