Cerium Foil (Light Tight)

Cerium Foil (Light Tight) is a precision-engineered rare-earth metal form designed to eliminate light transmission, providing both mechanical integrity and complete optical shielding. Its high ductility allows it to be fabricated into extremely uniform, pinhole-free sheets, while its chemical stability and resistance to oxidation at ambient temperatures ensure long-term performance in demanding environments. This material is used in industries including aerospace, nuclear research, advanced optics, and high-vacuum technology. Specific technologies that benefit from light-tight cerium foil include optical sensor housing for stray-light elimination, shielding layers in photonic instrumentation, and controlled-environment enclosures for sensitive experiments. Its dual role as a functional barrier and a reactive metal component makes it valuable for research into advanced catalytic systems, surface chemistry, and alloy development. By combining unique rare-earth reactivity with complete light-blocking capability, cerium foil (light tight) occupies a strategic position in both scientific innovation and high-reliability industrial applications.

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Properties

Reference & Citations

Flammable

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Material Properties for Metals

Atomic Properties

Element	Value
Atomic number	58
Crystal structure	Face centred cubic
Electronic structure	Xe 4f² 6s²
Valences shown	3, 4
Atomic weight( amu )	140.12
Thermal neutron absorption cross-section( Barns )	0.73
Photo-electric work function( eV )	2.9
Natural isotope distribution( Mass No./% )	136/ 0.2
Natural isotope distribution( Mass No./% )	140/ 88.4
Natural isotope distribution( Mass No./% )	142/ 11.1
Natural isotope distribution( Mass No./% )	138/ 0.3
Atomic radius - Goldschmidt( nm )	0.182
Ionisation potential( No./eV )	2/ 10.85
Ionisation potential( No./eV )	1/ 5.47
Ionisation potential( No./eV )	3/ 20.20
Ionisation potential( No./eV )	4/ 36.72

Mechanical Properties

Element	Value
Material condition	Polycrystalline
Material condition	Cast
Poisson's ratio	0.248
Poisson's ratio	0.248
Bulk modulus( GPa )	24.4
Bulk modulus( GPa )	24.4
Tensile modulus( GPa )	33.5
Tensile modulus( GPa )	33.5
Hardness - Vickers( kgf mm⁻² )	25-30
Tensile strength( MPa )	102
Yield strength( MPa )	91

Electrical Properties

Element	Value
Electrical resistivity( µOhmcm )	85.4@20°C
Temperature coefficient( K⁻¹ )	0.0087@0-100°C
Thermal emf against Pt (cold 0C - hot 100C)( mV )	1.14

Physical Properties

Element	Value
Boiling point( C )	3426
Density( gcm⁻³ )	6.75@20°C

Thermal Properties

Element	Value
Melting point( C )	799
Latent heat of evaporation( J g⁻¹ )	2680
Latent heat of fusion( J g⁻¹ )	37.3
Specific heat( J K⁻¹ kg⁻¹ )	205@25°C
Thermal conductivity( W m⁻¹ K⁻¹ )	11.3@0-100°C
Coefficient of thermal expansion( x10⁻⁶ K⁻¹ )	8@0-100°C