71
174.97
Lu
Lutetium
Identification
CAS Number: 7439-94-3
Discovery Year: 1907
Discoverer: Georges Urbain
Discovery Location: France
Properties
Atomic Dimensions
Atomic Radius: 175 pm →
Atomic Radius (Rahm): 270 pm
Covalent Radius: 187 pm →Van der Waals Radius: 224.00000000000003 pm
Atomic Volume: 17.8 cm³/mol
Lattice Constant: 3.51 Å
Thermodynamics
Melting Point: 1936 K →Boiling Point: 3668 K →Specific Heat: 0.155 J/(g·K) →Heat of Vaporization: 414 kJ/mol →
Heat of Formation: 427.6 kJ/mol
Electronic Structure
Electron Config: [Xe] 4f14 5d 6s2
Block: f
Period: 6 →Electronegativity: 1 →Electron Affinity: 0.34 eV →Oxidation States: +3
Abundance & Geochemistry
Crust Abundance: 0.8 mg/kg
Sea Abundance: 1.5e-7 mg/L
Geochemical Class: rare earth & related
Goldschmidt Class: litophile
About
Silvery-white rare-earth metal which is relatively stable in air. It happens to be the most expensive rare-earth metal. Its found with almost all rare-earth metals, but is very difficult to separate from other elements. Least abundant of all natural elements. Used in metal alloys, and as a catalyst in various processes. There are two natural, stable isotopes, and seven radioisotopes, the most stable being Lu-174 with a half-life of 3.3 years. The separation of lutetium from Ytterbium was described by Georges Urbain in 1907. It was discovered at approximately the same time by Carl Auer von Welsbach. The name comes from the Greek word lutetia which means Paris.
Isotopes
Lu-175 175 97.40%
Lu-176 176 2.60%