Gadolinium(II) Silicide

See more Gadolinium products. Gadolinium (atomic symbol: Gd, atomic number: 64) is a Block F, Group 3, Period 6 element with an atomic radius of 157.25. The number of electrons in each of Gadolinium's shells is [2, 8, 18, 25, 9, 2] and its electron configuration is [Xe] 4f⁷ 5d¹ 6s². The gadolinium atom has a radius of 180 pm and a Van der Waals radius of 237 pm. Gadolinium was discovered by Jean Charles Galissard de Marignac in 1880 and first isolated by Lecoq de Boisbaudran in 1886. In its elemental form, gadolinium has a silvery-white appearance. Gadolinium is a rare earth or lanthanide element that possesses unique properties advantageous to specialized applications such as semiconductor fabrication and nuclear reactor shielding. It is utilized for both its high magnetic moment (7.94μ B) and in phosphors and scintillator crystals. When complexed with EDTA ligands, it is used as an injectable contrast agent for MRIs. The element is named after the Finnish chemist and geologist Johan Gadolin.

See more Silicon products. Silicon (atomic symbol: Si, atomic number: 14) is a Block P, Group 14, Period 3 element with an atomic weight of 28.085. The number of electrons in each of Silicon's shells is 2, 8, 4 and its electron configuration is [Ne] 3s² 3p². The silicon atom has a radius of 111 pm and a Van der Waals radius of 210 pm. Silicon was discovered and first isolated by Jöns Jacob Berzelius in 1823. Silicon makes up 25.7% of the earth's crust, by weight, and is the second most abundant element, exceeded only by oxygen. The metalloid is rarely found in pure crystal form and is usually produced from the iron-silicon alloy ferrosilicon. Silica (or silicon dioxide), as sand, is a principal ingredient of glass, one of the most inexpensive of materials with excellent mechanical, optical, thermal, and electrical properties. Ultra high purity silicon can be doped with boron, gallium, phosphorus, or arsenic to produce silicon for use in transistors, solar cells, rectifiers, and other solid-state devices which are used extensively in the electronics industry.The name Silicon originates from the Latin word silex which means flint or hard stone.