Lanthanum

Lanthanum (La) is a soft, ductile, silvery-white rare earth element and the first of the lanthanides in the periodic table. It has a melting point of 920 °C and is highly reactive, especially with air and water, forming oxides and hydroxides rapidly. Lanthanum is primarily extracted from monazite and bastnäsite ores using solvent extraction and ion exchange methods.

Goodfellow's pure Lanthanum products cater to the precise needs of advanced research and industrial applications. Available in forms such as foil, powder, rod, and sputtering target, lanthanum is distinguished by its high reactivity and unique optical characteristics. This rare earth metal displays strong paramagnetic behavior and has one of the largest atomic radii among the lanthanides, contributing to its versatility. Lanthanum is widely used in the petroleum sector, specialty glass manufacturing, and energy storage technologies. It is crucial in fluid catalytic cracking units for refining oil, enhancing the refractive index of optical glasses for camera lenses and fiber optics, and improving the efficiency of hydrogen storage systems. Goodfellow's lanthanum products are instrumental in driving innovation, supporting pioneering research in high-performance magnets and next-generation battery technologies. Their unique combination of properties makes them essential for researchers and engineers pushing the boundaries of materials science, particularly in applications requiring specialized optical properties and catalytic performance.