Ytterbium(III) chloride hydrate

Ytterbium(III) chloride hydrate is used as an effective catalyst to prepare acetals by reacting with trimethyl orthoformate. It reacts with N-alkylsalicylideneimines to prepare yttrium(III) Schiff base complexes. It is widely used as NMR shift reagent, calcium ion probe and in DNA microarrays. Its anhydrous form acts as a Lewis acid and catalyzes the alkylation reactions such as aldol reaction and Pictet-Spengler reaction.

Erbium has application in glass coloring, as an amplifier in fiber optics, and in lasers for medical and dental use.
It is commonly used as a photographic filter, and because of its resilience it is useful as a metallurgical additive.
The Erbium ion has a very narrow absorption band coloring erbium salts pink. It is therefore used in eyeware and decorative glassware. It can neutralize discoloring impurities such as ferric ions and produce a neutral gray shade. It is used in a variety of glass products for this purpose.
Lasers based on Er:YAG are ideally suited for surgical applications because of its ability to deliver energy without thermal build-up in tissue.
Erbium Metal, is mainly metallurgical uses. Added to vanadium, for example, Erbium lowers hardness and improves workability. Erbium also has a variety of other applications such as neutron-absorbing control rods for nuclear reactors, cubic zirconia and porcelain, cryocoolers.