Samarium Chloride has specialized uses in glass, phosphors, lasers, and thermoelectric devices. Samarium Chloride is used for the preparation of Samarium metal, which has a variety of uses, notably in magnets. Anhydrous SmCl3 is mixed with Sodium Chloride or Calcium Chloride to give a low melting point eutectic mixture. Electrolysis of this molten salt solution gives the free metal. Samarium Chloride can also be used as a starting point for the preparation of other Samarium salts.
Samarium(III) chloride is used for the preparation of samarium metal, which has a variety of uses, notably in magnets. In laboratory Samarium(III) chloride can also be used as a starting point for the preparation of other samarium salts. It is used as infrares absorbing glass, lasers, color television phosphors, magnets, microwave filters. It is used as catalyst in cracking crude petroleum and used as an alloy with cobalt for magnets. It is used as neutron capture masers and have applications in nuclear industry.
Poison by intraperitoneal and subcutaneous routes. Moderately toxic by ingestion. A skin and eye irritant. When heated to decomposition it emits toxic fumes of Cl-. See also SAMARIUM and RARE EARTHS.
SmCl3 is usually synthesized by the “ammonium chloride” method, which entails the initial formation of
(NH4)2[SmCl5]. This compound can be prepared from common starting materials at a moderate reaction temperature of
230℃ from samarium oxide.
10NH4Cl +Sm2O3→2 (NH )4 2[SmCl5]+ 6NH3+3H2O
