4 Preparation and Identification of Divalent Lanthanide Ions as Dilute Solutes in
Downloaded by UNIV OF PITTSBURGH on June 21, 2013 | http://pubs.acs.org Publication Date: June 1, 1967 | doi: 10.1021/ba-1967-0071.ch004
Alkaline Earth Halide Solid Solutions P. N. YOCOM Radio Corporation of America, Princeton, N. J. Each of the lanthanide elements can be obtained as a divalent ion in dilute solution with the alkaline earth halides as the solvent in either the fused state (by metallic reduction with either lanthanide or alkaline earth metal or photoreduction with ultraviolet or gamma radiation) or solid state either by gamma irradiation, metallic reduction with alkaline earth metal or electrolysis. The divalent species has been identified by absorption and emission spectroscopy and/or electron paramagnetic resonance. Those divalent ions showing definite4fconfiguration in their ground states are Pr, Dy, Ho, Er, Tm and the well known Sm, Eu, and Yb. The remaining ions, La, Ce, Nd, Gd, and Tb have 5d ground states or a low lying 4f to 5d transition, as is probably the case with Nd. * T * h i s p a p e r r e v i e w s the w o r k of the past f e w years o n p r e p a r i n g a n d -*· c h a r a c t e r i z i n g d i v a l e n t l a n t h a n i d e ions i n d i l u t e s o l i d s o l u t i o n i n a l k a l i n e earth h a l i d e s .
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