Dysprosium
66
Dy
Group
n/a
Period
6
Block
f
Protons
Electrons
Neutrons
66
66
97
General Properties
Atomic Number
66
Atomic Weight
162.5
Mass Number
163
Category
Lanthanides
Color
Silver
Radioactive
No
From the Greek word dysprositos, meaning hard to get at
Crystal Structure
Simple Hexagonal
History
French chemist Paul Émile Lecoq de Boisbaudran, while working with holmium oxide, separated dysprosium oxide from it in Paris in 1886.
His procedure for isolating the dysprosium involved dissolving dysprosium oxide in acid, then adding ammonia to precipitate the hydroxide.
It was not isolated in pure form until the development of ion exchange techniques in the 1950s.
His procedure for isolating the dysprosium involved dissolving dysprosium oxide in acid, then adding ammonia to precipitate the hydroxide.
It was not isolated in pure form until the development of ion exchange techniques in the 1950s.
Electrons per shell
2, 8, 18, 28, 8, 2
Electron Configuration
[Xe] 4f10 6s2
Naturally occurring dysprosium is composed of 7 isotopes
Physical Properties
Phase
Solid
Density
8.55 g/cm3
Melting Point
1680.15 K | 1407 °C | 2564.6 °F
Boiling Point
2840.15 K | 2567 °C | 4652.6 °F
Heat of Fusion
11.1 kJ/mol
Heat of Vaporization
280 kJ/mol
Specific Heat Capacity
0.17 J/g·K
Abundance in Earth's crust
0.00062%
Abundance in Universe
2×10-7%
CAS Number
7429-91-6
PubChem CID Number
23912
Atomic Properties
Atomic Radius
178 pm
Covalent Radius
192 pm
Electronegativity
1.22 (Pauling scale)
Ionization Potential
5.9389 eV
Atomic Volume
19.0 cm3/mol
Thermal Conductivity
0.107 W/cm·K
Oxidation States
2, 3
Applications
Dysprosium oxide-nickel cermets are used in neutron-absorbing control rods in nuclear reactors.
Dysprosium is used in data storage applications such as compact discs and hard discs.
It is also used in dosimeters for measuring ionizing radiation.
Dysprosium iodide and dysprosium bromide are used in high intensity metal-halide lamps.
Dysprosium is used in data storage applications such as compact discs and hard discs.
It is also used in dosimeters for measuring ionizing radiation.
Dysprosium iodide and dysprosium bromide are used in high intensity metal-halide lamps.
Dysprosium is considered to be moderately toxic
Isotopes
Stable Isotopes
156Dy, 158Dy, 160Dy, 161Dy, 162Dy, 163Dy, 164DyUnstable Isotopes
138Dy, 139Dy, 140Dy, 141Dy, 142Dy, 143Dy, 144Dy, 145Dy, 146Dy, 147Dy, 148Dy, 149Dy, 150Dy, 151Dy, 152Dy, 153Dy, 154Dy, 155Dy, 157Dy, 159Dy, 165Dy, 166Dy, 167Dy, 168Dy, 169Dy, 170Dy, 171Dy, 172Dy, 173Dy