Dysprosium (Dy)
lanthanideSolid
Standard Atomic Weight
162.5 uElectron configuration
[Xe] 6s2 4f10Melting point
1411.85 °CBoiling point
2566.85 °CDensity
8550 kg/m³Oxidation states
0, +1, +2, +3, +4Electronegativity (Pauling)
1.22Ionization energy (1st)
5.939061 eVDiscovery year
1878Atomic radius
175 pmDetails
Dysprosium is a heavy lanthanide metal with atomic number 66. In compounds it is overwhelmingly trivalent, forming pale salts whose chemistry resembles that of neighboring rare earths. Its technological importance comes from an unusually large magnetic moment and strong magnetic anisotropy, especially when incorporated into high-performance permanent magnets. Natural dysprosium is a mixture of stable isotopes and is obtained with other rare earth elements rather than as a native metal.
The element has a metallic, bright silver luster. It is relatively stable in air at room temperature, and is readily attacked and dissolved by dilute and concentrated mineral acids, to evolve hydrogen. The metal is soft enough to be cut with a knife and can be machined without sparking if overheating is avoided. Small amounts of impurities can greatly affect its physical properties.
The name derives from the Greek dysprositos for "hard to get at", owing to the difficulty in separating this rare earth element from a holmium mineral in which it was found. It was discovered by the Swiss chemist Marc Delafontaine in the mineral samarskite in 1878 and called philippia. Philippia was subsequently thought to be a mixture of terbium and yttrium. It was later rediscovered in a holmium sample by the French chemist Paul-Emile Lecoq de Boisbaudran in 1886, who was then credited with the discovery. Dysprosium was first isolated by the French chemist Georges Urbain in 1906.
Dysprosium was discovered by Paul-Émile Lecoq de Boisbaudran, a French chemist, in 1886 as an impurity in erbia, the oxide of erbium. The metal was isolated by Georges Urbain, another French chemist, in 1906. Pure samples of dysprosium were first produced in the 1950s. Today, dysprosium is primarily obtained through an ion exchange process from monazite sand ((Ce, La, Th, Nd, Y)PO4), a material rich in rare earth elements.
From the Greek word dysprositos, meaning hard to get at. Dysprosium was discovered in 1886 by Lecoq de Boisbaudran, but not isolated. Neither the oxide nor the metal was available in relatively pure form until 1950, when the development of ion-exchange separation and metallographic reduction techniques were created by Spedding and associates. Dysprosium occurs along with other so-called rare-earth or lanthanide elements in a variety of minerals such as xenotime, fergusonite, gadolinite, euxenite, polycrase, and blomstrandine. The most important sources, however, are from monaziate and bastnasite. Dysprosium can be prepared by reduction of the trifluoride with calcium.
Pure dysprosium is a bright, silvery metal when freshly cut, but it slowly tarnishes in air. It is relatively soft and can be machined, though the metal is reactive enough that clean surfaces require protection. At ordinary temperature it is paramagnetic; it develops more ordered magnetic states only at low temperatures.
The largest practical use of dysprosium is as an additive to neodymium-iron-boron permanent magnets, where it improves resistance to demagnetization at elevated temperature. This is important in traction motors, wind-turbine generators, and compact actuators, although manufacturers try to minimize the amount used because supply is constrained. Dysprosium is also used in Terfenol-D magnetostrictive alloy, in some specialty lighting and laser materials, and as neutron-absorbing material in selected nuclear-technology applications.
There are no commercial applications for dysprosium. Since it easily absorbs neutrons and has a high melting point, dysprosium might be alloyed with steel for use in nuclear reactors. When combined with vanadium and other rare earth elements, dysprosium is used as a laser material.
Dysprosium oxide (Dy2O3), also known as dysprosia, is combined with nickel and added to a special cement used to cool nuclear reactor rods. Other dysprosium compounds include: dysprosium fluoride (DyF3), dysprosium iodide (DyI3) and dysprosium sulfate (Dy2(SO4)3).
While we have not found many applications for dysprosium, its thermal neutron absorption cross-section and high melting point suggest metallurgical uses in nuclear control applications and for alloying with special stainless steels. A dysprosium oxide-nickel cement has found use in cooling nuclear reactor rods. This cement absorbs neutrons readily without swelling or contracting under prolonged neutron bombardment. In combination with vanadium and other rare earths, dysprosium has been used in making laser materials. Dysprosium-cadmium chalcogenides, as sources of infrared radiation, have been used for studying chemical reactions.
Isotopes in Industry
The isotopes of dysprosium are highly magnetic and have been the subject of physics research involving interactions of isotopes and the structure of lattice supersolids (spatially ordered material with superfluid properties, i.e. zero viscosity). The Magneto-Optical Trapping (MOT) chamber is used for slowing atoms (isotopes) to study the physics of neutral atoms by using a laser light to cool atoms (“Doppler cooling”) and magnetic quadrupole fields to slow and “trap” the neutral atoms (Fig. IUPAC.66.1) [462] S. H. Youn, M. Lu, U. Ray, B. L. Lev. Am. Phys. Soc. Phys. Rev. A.82, 043425 (2010). https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.82.043425., [463] C. M. Elliott. First Dysprosium MOT, Physics Illinois-University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign (2017), Feb. 28; http://engineering.illinois.edu/news/article/2009-07-31-first-dysprosium-mot..
164Dy has a large neutron absorption cross section, so dysprosium is used for control rods [464] V. E. Ceron, J. G. Hirsch. Phys. Lett. B471, 1 (1999).. 161Dy has been a key isotope for studying the Mössbauer Effect, which is the resonance and absorption of gamma ray emissions on nearby atoms in a solid state [465] R. L. Cohen. Phys. Rev.137, 1809 (1965)..
Isotopes in Medicine
165Dy (with a half-life of 140 min) is commonly used in arthritis therapy (radiosynovectomy). Rheumatic inflammation of the membranes of joints is often treated by the injection of 165Dy-ferric oxide directly into the joint space of the knee. Leakage from the joint has been shown to be minimal [467] C. B. Sledge, J. D. Zuckerman, M. R. Zalutsky, R. W. Atcher, S. Shortkroff, D. R. Lionberger, H. A. Rose, B. J. Hurson, P. A. Lankenner, R. J. Anderson, W. A. Bloomer. Arthritis Rheum.29, 153 (1986)..
Isotopes Used as a Source of Radioactive Isotope(s)
164Dy is used to produce 166Dy (with a half-life of 3.4 days) via double neutron capture [468] D. Ma, A. R. Ketring, G. J. Ehrhardt, W. Jia. J. Radioanal. Nucl. Chem.206, 119 (1996)., [469] S. Mirzadeh, R. E. Schenter, A. P. Callahan, F. F. Knapp. Production Capabilities in U.S. Nuclear Reactors for Medical Radioisotopes, Tm-12010, Oak Ridge National Laboratory Oak Ridge, Tenn (1992)., [470] S. Lahiri, K. J. Volkers, B. Wierczinski. Appl. Radiat. Isot.61, 1157 (2004).. 166Dy, which decays to 166Ho, is used in cancer and arthritis therapy [468] D. Ma, A. R. Ketring, G. J. Ehrhardt, W. Jia. J. Radioanal. Nucl. Chem.206, 119 (1996)., [471] G. Ferro-Flores, O. Hernandez-Oviedo, C. Arteaga de Murphy, J. I. Tendilla, F. Monroy-Guzman, M. Pedraza-Lopez, K. Aldama-Alvarado. Appl. Radiat. Isot.61, 1227 (2004)..
Dysprosium chemistry is dominated by the +3 oxidation state, represented by dysprosium(III) oxide, Dy₂O₃, dysprosium(III) chloride, DyCl₃, and many hydrated salts. The Dy³⁺ ion is strongly paramagnetic because of its 4f electrons, which are shielded enough to give sharp optical transitions in some host crystals. Dysprosium(II) compounds are uncommon and require strongly reducing conditions; +4 chemistry is not a normal feature of dysprosium. Many minerals contain dysprosium only as a minor component substituting for other heavy rare earth ions.
See more information at the Dysprosium compound page.
Dysprosium metal dust and filings can burn, and the metal reacts slowly with moisture to form hydrogen, H₂, and hydroxides or oxides. Soluble dysprosium salts should be handled as toxicologically uncertain rare-earth compounds rather than as harmless materials; ingestion or inhalation of dust is undesirable. Natural dysprosium is not significantly radioactive, but activated dysprosium isotopes can present radiation hazards in nuclear settings.
Dysprosium occurs dispersed in minerals such as xenotime and ion-adsorption clays, where it substitutes for other trivalent rare earth elements. Weathering and processing can mobilize rare-earth ions, but dysprosium generally has low solubility in neutral to alkaline waters because it forms insoluble phosphates, carbonates, and hydroxides. It has no known biological function. Environmental concern is usually tied to mining, acid leaching, and waste management rather than to natural background concentrations.
Dysprosium is produced as a separated rare earth from mixed ores and concentrates, not from dedicated dysprosium minerals. The main industrial challenge is separation from chemically similar lanthanides by solvent extraction or ion-exchange processes. Demand is strongly linked to high-temperature permanent magnets, while supply is limited by the availability of heavy rare-earth feedstocks. Recycling from magnets is technically possible and increasingly important, but collection, separation, and alloy complexity limit recovery. Substitution strategies include reducing dysprosium content, using grain-boundary diffusion, or redesigning motors to need less coercivity.
Usually found with erbium, holmium and other rare earths in some minerals such as monazite sand, which is often 50% rare earth by weight.
Dysprosium is a rare cosmic element. Its stable isotopes are produced mainly by slow and rapid neutron-capture processes in evolved stars and explosive stellar environments, then incorporated into interstellar dust and later planetary materials. In the Solar System it is concentrated with other refractory rare earths in silicate and phosphate phases rather than in metallic cores or volatile reservoirs.
- The name dysprosium comes from a Greek word meaning “hard to get at,” reflecting its difficult separation from other lan
- Dysprosium has one of the highest thermal-neutron absorption cross sections among stable elements.
- A small dysprosium addition can greatly raise the coercivity of Nd₂Fe₁₄B-based magnets.
- The isotope ¹⁶⁴Dy is the most abundant naturally occurring dysprosium isotope.
- Dysprosium metal can be cut with ordinary tools, but fresh surfaces tarnish readily.
Images
Properties
Physical
- Atomic radius (empirical)
- 175 pm Compare Atomic radius (empirical) of all elements →
- Covalent radius
- 192 pm Compare Covalent radius of all elements →
- Van der Waals radius
- 229 pm Compare Van der Waals radius of all elements →
- Density
- 8550 kg/m³ Compare Density of all elements →
- Molar volume
- 0.019 L/mol
- Phase at STP
- Solid Compare Phase at STP of all elements →
- Melting point
- 1411.85 °C Compare Melting point of all elements →
- Boiling point
- 2566.85 °C Compare Boiling point of all elements →
- Thermal conductivity
- 10.7 W/(m·K) Compare Thermal conductivity of all elements →
- Specific heat capacity
- 0.173 J/(g·K) Compare Specific heat capacity of all elements →
- Molar heat capacity
- 28.16 J/(mol·K) Compare Molar heat capacity of all elements →
- Crystal structure
- Hexagonal close-packed Compare Crystal structure of all elements →
Chemical
- Electronegativity (Pauling)
- 1.22 Compare Electronegativity (Pauling) of all elements →
- Electron affinity
- 0.352 eV
- Ionization energy (1st)
- 5.939061 eV Compare Ionization energy (1st) of all elements →
- Ionization energy (2nd)
- 11.64704 eV Compare Ionization energy (2nd) of all elements →
- Ionization energy (3rd)
- 22.890079 eV Compare Ionization energy (3rd) of all elements →
- Ionization energy (4th)
- 41.230142 eV Compare Ionization energy (4th) of all elements →
- Ionization energy (5th)
- 62.100214 eV Compare Ionization energy (5th) of all elements →
- Oxidation states
- 0, +1, +2, +3, +4 Compare Oxidation states of all elements →
- Valence electrons
- 3 Compare Valence electrons of all elements →
- Electron configuration
- [Xe] 6s2 4f10
Thermodynamic
- Heat of fusion
- 0.11504379 eV Compare Heat of fusion of all elements →
- Heat of vaporization
- 2.38379 eV Compare Heat of vaporization of all elements →
- Heat of sublimation
- 3.016013 eV
- Heat of atomization
- 3.016013 eV
- Atomization enthalpy
- 3.009794 eV
Nuclear
- Protons
- 66 Compare Protons of all elements →
- Neutrons
- 98 Compare Neutrons of all elements →
- Known isotopes
- 39 Compare Known isotopes of all elements →
- Stable isotopes
- 6 Compare Stable isotopes of all elements →
- Most stable isotope
- Dy-164
- Discovery year
- 1878
Abundance
- Abundance (Earth's crust)
- 5.2 mg/kg Compare Abundance (Earth's crust) of all elements →
- Abundance (ocean)
- 9.1 × 10−7 mg/L Compare Abundance (ocean) of all elements →
Crystal Structure
- Lattice constant a
- 359 pm
Electronic Structure
- Electrons per shell
- 2, 8, 18, 28, 8, 2 Compare Electrons per shell of all elements →
Identifiers
- CAS number
- 7429-91-6 Compare CAS number of all elements →
- Term symbol
- 5I8
- InChI
- InChI=1S/Dy
- InChI Key
- KBQHZAAAGSGFKK-UHFFFAOYSA-N
Electron Configuration Measured
Dy: 4f¹⁰ 6s²[Xe] 4f¹⁰ 6s²1s² 2s² 2p⁶ 3s² 3p⁶ 3d¹⁰ 4s² 4p⁶ 4d¹⁰ 5s² 5p⁶ 4f¹⁰ 6s²Atomic model
Isotopes change neutron count, mass, and stability — not the electron configuration of a neutral atom.
Schematic atomic model, not to scale.
Atomic Fingerprint
Emission / Absorption Spectrum
Isotope Distribution
| Mass number | Atomic mass (u) | Natural abundance | Half-life |
|---|---|---|---|
| 158 Stable | 157.9244159 ± 0.0000031 | 0.0950% | Stable |
| 160 Stable | 159.9252046 ± 0.000002 | 2.3290% | Stable |
| 161 Stable | 160.9269405 ± 0.000002 | 18.8890% | Stable |
| 162 Stable | 161.9268056 ± 0.000002 | 25.4750% | Stable |
| 163 Stable | 162.9287383 ± 0.000002 | 24.8960% | Stable |
| 164 Stable | 163.9291819 ± 0.000002 | 28.2600% | Stable |
Phase / State
Reason: 1386.8 °C below melting point (1411.85 °C)
Schematic, not to scale
Phase transition points
Transition energies
Energy required to melt 1 mol at melting point
Energy required to vaporize 1 mol at boiling point
Energy required to sublime 1 mol at sublimation point
Density
At standard conditions
At standard conditions
Atomic Spectra
Showing 10 of 66. Sorted by ion charge (ascending).
Lines Holdings ?
| Ion | Charge | Total lines | Transition probabilities | Level designations |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dy I | 0 | 230 | 73 | 73 |
| Dy II | +1 | 421 | 17 | 17 |
Levels Holdings ?
| Ion | Charge | Levels |
|---|---|---|
| Dy I | 0 | 740 |
| Dy II | +1 | 576 |
| Dy III | +2 | 2 |
| Dy IV | +3 | 13 |
| Dy V | +4 | 2 |
| Dy VI | +5 | 2 |
| Dy VII | +6 | 2 |
| Dy VIII | +7 | 2 |
| Dy IX | +8 | 2 |
| Dy X | +9 | 2 |
Ionic Radii
| Charge | Coordination | Spin | Radius |
|---|---|---|---|
| +2 | 6 | N/A | 107 pm |
| +2 | 7 | N/A | 112.99999999999999 pm |
| +2 | 8 | N/A | 119 pm |
| +3 | 6 | N/A | 91.2 pm |
| +3 | 7 | N/A | 97 pm |
| +3 | 8 | N/A | 102.69999999999999 pm |
| +3 | 9 | N/A | 108.3 pm |
Compounds
Isotopes (6)
| Mass number | Atomic mass (u) | Natural abundance | Half-life | Decay mode | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 158 Stable | 157.9244159 ± 0.0000031 | 0.0950% ± 0.0030% | Stable | stable | |
| 160 Stable | 159.9252046 ± 0.000002 | 2.3290% ± 0.0180% | Stable | stable | |
| 161 Stable | 160.9269405 ± 0.000002 | 18.8890% ± 0.0420% | Stable | stable | |
| 162 Stable | 161.9268056 ± 0.000002 | 25.4750% ± 0.0360% | Stable | stable | |
| 163 Stable | 162.9287383 ± 0.000002 | 24.8960% ± 0.0420% | Stable | stable | |
| 164 Stable | 163.9291819 ± 0.000002 | 28.2600% ± 0.0540% | Stable | stable |
Extended Properties
Covalent Radii (Extended)
- Covalent radius (Pyykkö)
- 167 pm
- Covalent radius (Pyykkö, double)
- 133 pm
Van der Waals Radii
- Alvarez
- 287 pm
- UFF
- 342.8 pm
- MM3
- 290 pm
Atomic & Metallic Radii
- Atomic radius (Rahm)
- 275 pm
Numbering Scales
- Mendeleev
- 31
- Pettifor
- 25
- Glawe
- 24
Electronegativity Scales
- Ghosh
- 0
- Miedema
- 3
- Gunnarsson–Lundqvist
- 5
- Robles–Bartolotti
- 4
Polarizability & Dispersion
- Dipole polarizability
- 163 a.u.
- Dipole polarizability (unc.)
- 15 a.u.
- C₆ (Gould–Bučko)
- 2430 Ha·Bohr6
Miedema Parameters
- Miedema molar volume
- 19 cm3/mol
- Miedema electron density
- 2
Supply Risk & Economics
- Production concentration
- 97
- Relative supply risk
- 10
- Reserve distribution
- 50
- Political stability (top producer)
- 24
- Political stability (top reserve)
- 24
Phase Transitions & Allotropes
| Melting point | 1685.15 K |
| Boiling point | 2840.15 K |
Oxidation State Categories
Advanced Reference Data
Screening Constants (13)
| n | Orbital | σ |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | s | 1.2914 |
| 2 | p | 4.3204 |
| 2 | s | 17.2906 |
| 3 | d | 13.6701 |
| 3 | p | 20.1195 |
| 3 | s | 20.6067 |
| 4 | d | 34.982 |
| 4 | f | 39.464 |
| 4 | p | 32.174 |
| 4 | s | 31.408 |
Crystal Radii Detail (7)
| Charge | CN | Spin | rcrystal (pm) | Origin |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | VI | 121 | ||
| 2 | VII | 127 | ||
| 2 | VIII | 133 | ||
| 3 | VI | 105.2 | from r^3 vs V plots, | |
| 3 | VII | 111 | ||
| 3 | VIII | 116.7 | from r^3 vs V plots, | |
| 3 | IX | 122.3 | from r^3 vs V plots, |
Isotope Decay Modes (56)
| Isotope | Mode | Intensity |
|---|---|---|
| 138 | B+ | — |
| 138 | B+p | — |
| 139 | B+ | 100% |
| 139 | B+p | 11% |
| 140 | B+ | — |
| 140 | B+p | — |
| 141 | B+ | 100% |
| 141 | B+p | — |
| 142 | B+ | 100% |
| 142 | e+ | 90% |
X‑ray Scattering Factors (514)
| Energy (eV) | f₁ | f₂ |
|---|---|---|
| 10 | — | 0.15635 |
| 10.1617 | — | 0.1621 |
| 10.3261 | — | 0.16806 |
| 10.4931 | — | 0.17425 |
| 10.6628 | — | 0.18066 |
| 10.8353 | — | 0.18731 |
| 11.0106 | — | 0.19421 |
| 11.1886 | — | 0.20135 |
| 11.3696 | — | 0.20876 |
| 11.5535 | — | 0.21654 |
Additional Data
Estimated Crustal Abundance
The estimated element abundance in the earth's crust.
5.2 milligrams per kilogram
References (1)
- [5] Dysprosium https://education.jlab.org/itselemental/ele066.html
Estimated Oceanic Abundance
The estimated element abundance in the earth's oceans.
9.1×10-7 milligrams per liter
References (1)
- [5] Dysprosium https://education.jlab.org/itselemental/ele066.html
References
(9)
Data deposited in or computed by PubChem
The half-life and atomic mass data was provided by the Atomic Mass Data Center at the International Atomic Energy Agency.
Element data are cited from the Atomic weights of the elements (an IUPAC Technical Report). The IUPAC periodic table of elements can be found at https://iupac.org/what-we-do/periodic-table-of-elements/. Additional information can be found within IUPAC publication doi:10.1515/pac-2015-0703 Copyright © 2020 International Union of Pure and Applied Chemistry.
The information are cited from Pure Appl. Chem. 2018; 90(12): 1833-2092, https://doi.org/10.1515/pac-2015-0703.
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The periodic table at the LANL (Los Alamos National Laboratory) contains basic element information together with the history, source, properties, use, handling and more. The provenance data may be found from the link under the source name.
The periodic table contains NIST's critically-evaluated data on atomic properties of the elements. The provenance data that include data for atomic spectroscopy, X-ray and gamma ray, radiation dosimetry, nuclear physics, and condensed matter physics may be found from the link under the source name. Ref: https://www.nist.gov/pml/atomic-spectra-database
This section provides all form of data related to element Dysprosium.
The element property data was retrieved from publications.