|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Samarium is used in high-strength magnets. Samarium magnets used to be the strongest known, but have since been surpassed by neodymium-iron-boron magnets.
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
Dendritic crystals.
Crystals of this shape generally come from precipitation out of a solution. These are coated with a layer of oxide (all rare earths are reactive to some degree or another with air). It's now stored under mineral oil to prevent further oxidation. "George" reports: "Samarium oxide is particularly annoying because it crumbles off the sample and is like fingerprinting dust, it's so fine."
Source: George (not 007) Lazenby
Contributor: George (not 007) Lazenby
Acquired: 20 November, 2002
Price: Donated
Size: 0.75"
Purity: 99.99%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Magnet.
Several different rare earths are used, typically in combination with iron, cobalt, or boron, to make very strong magnets. Neodymium-iron-boron magnets are stronger than this samarium-cobalt magnet, but it's still a pretty nice magnet for its size.
Source: Ed Pegg Jr
Contributor: Ed Pegg Jr
Acquired: 20 November, 2002
Price: Donated
Size: 0.4"
Purity: <30%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
 Lump.
This sample arrived with a full set of lanthanides at a time when I was missing europium, terbium, holmium, ytterbium, and of course lutetium.
This very kind donation from Max Whitby of The Red Green & Blue Company in England completed my element collection, to the extent that it gave me a plausible sample of every element one can plausibly have a sample of. (The Red Green & Blue Company is selling a periodic table collection containing similar samples of the same stuff, and if you want a ready-made collection of elements, that's the first place I would look.)
To learn more about the set you can visit my page about element collecting for a general description or the company's website which includes many photographs and pricing details. I have two photographs of each sample from the set: One taken by me and one from the company. You can see photographs of all the samples displayed in a periodic table format: my pictures or their pictures. Or you can see both side-by-side with bigger pictures in numerical order.
The picture on the left was taken by me. Here is the company's version (there is some variation between sets, so the pictures sometimes show different variations of the samples):
Source: Max Whitby of The Red Green & Blue Company
Contributor: Max Whitby of The Red Green & Blue Company
Acquired: 20 December, 2002
Price: Donated
Size: 0.5"
Purity: 99.78%
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sample from the Everest Element Set.
Up until the early 1990's a company in Russia sold a periodic table collection with element samples. At some point their American distributor sold off the remaining stock to a man who is now selling them on eBay. The samples (excepted gasses) weight about 0.25 grams each, and the whole set comes in a very nice wooden box with a printed periodic table in the lid.
To learn more about the set you can visit my page about element collecting for a general description and information about how to buy one, or you can see photographs of all the samples from the set displayed on my website in a periodic table layout or with bigger pictures in numerical order.
Source: Rob Accurso
Contributor: Rob Accurso
Acquired: 7 February, 2003
Price: Donated
Size: 0.2"
Purity: >99%
|
|
|
|
|
|
