Thulium Oxide
Thulium Oxide Properties
| Synonym | thulium (III) oxide, thulium sesquioxide |
| Cas No. | 12036-44-1 |
| Chemical formula | Tm2O3 |
| Molar mass | 385.866g/mol |
| Appearance | greenish-whitecubiccrystals |
| Density | 8.6g/cm3 |
| Melting point | 2,341°C(4,246°F;2,614K) |
| Boiling point | 3,945°C(7,133°F;4,218K) |
| Solubility in water | slightly soluble in acids |
| Magnetic susceptibility(χ) | +51,444·10−6cm3/mol |
High Purity Thulium Oxide Specification
| ParticleSize(D50) | 2.99 μm |
| Purity(Tm2O3) | ≧99.99% |
| TREO(TotalRareEarthOxides) | ≧99.5% |
| REImpuritiesContents | ppm | Non-REEsImpurities | ppm |
| La2O3 | 2 | Fe2O3 | 22 |
| CeO2 | <1 | SiO2 | 25 |
| Pr6O11 | <1 | CaO | 37 |
| Nd2O3 | 2 | PbO | Nd |
| Sm2O3 | <1 | CL¯ | 860 |
| Eu2O3 | <1 | L.O.I | 0.56% |
| Gd2O3 | <1 | ||
| Tb4O7 | <1 | ||
| Dy2O3 | <1 | ||
| Ho2O3 | <1 | ||
| Er2O3 | 9 | ||
| Yb2O3 | 51 | ||
| Lu2O3 | 2 | ||
| Y2O3 | <1 |
【Packaging】25KG/bag Requirements:moisture proof, dust-free, dry, ventilate and clean.
What is Thulium(III) Oxide (Tm₂O₃) Powder used for?
Thulium(III) Oxide (Tm₂O₃) Powder is a high-purity rare earth compound prized for its unique photonic, nuclear, and catalytic properties. As one of the scarcest lanthanide oxides, it enables cutting-edge technologies across multiple disciplines:
1. Photonics & Optical Engineering
- Fiber Optic Communications:
✓ Erbium-Thulium Co-Doped Fiber Amplifiers (EDTFAs)**: Critical for extending C-band (1530–1565 nm) to L-band (1565–1625 nm) amplification in DWDM systems, enhancing long-haul telecommunication capacity.
✓ Upconversion Nanoparticles: Tm³⁺-doped ZBLAN (ZrF₄-BaF₂-LaF₃-AlF₃-NaF) fibers for near-infrared-to-visible light conversion in bioimaging and laser cooling.
- Solid-State Lasers:
✓ Actively used in ~2 µm wavelength lasers (Tm:YAG, Tm:YLF) for:
- Medical applications (lidar-assisted surgery, kidney stone ablation)
- Atmospheric sensing (water vapor detection via differential absorption lidar)
2. Advanced Materials Synthesis
- Ceramic Engineering:
✓ Dopant for yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) to enhance fracture toughness in thermal barrier coatings (jet engines, gas turbines).
✓ Stabilizer in high-k dielectric ceramics for multilayer capacitors and MEMS devices.
- Specialty Glasses:
✓ Modifies refractive index in chalcogenide glasses for mid-IR optics (3–5 µm range).
✓ Enhances radiation hardness in scintillator glasses for particle physics detectors.
3. Nuclear Technology
- Neutron Absorption:
✓ High thermal neutron capture cross-section (σ = 105 barns) enables use in:
- Control rods for pressurized water reactors (PWRs)
- Radiation shielding composites (Tm₂O₃-B₄C-epoxy hybrids)
- Radioisotope Production:
✓ Precursor for neutron-activated ¹⁷⁰Tm (t₁/₂ = 128.6 days), used in:
- Compact X-ray sources for portable medical/industrial radiography
- Calibration standards for gamma spectroscopy
4. Biomedical Technologies
- Nanostructured Biosensors:
✓ Tm₂O₃@SiO₂ core-shell nanoparticles for:
- pH-responsive tumor microenvironment mapping
- Time-gated luminescence detection of biomarkers (reducing autofluorescence)
- Radiotherapy Enhancement:
✓ X-ray-excited nanoscintillators for deep-tissue photodynamic therapy (PDT) with subcellular precision.
5. Quantum & Electronic Applications
- Quantum Memory:
✓ Tm³⁺-doped crystals (e.g., Tm:YGG) for optical quantum storage via atomic frequency comb protocols.
- Catalysis:
✓ Promotes methane partial oxidation in chemical looping combustion (CLC) systems.
✓ Enhanced activity in CO₂ hydrogenation to methanol via Tm₂O₃/CeO₂ nanocomposites.
6. Emerging Frontiers
- Ultra-High-Density Data Storage:
✓ Photochromic Tm₂O₃ thin films for 5D optical data encoding (polarization/wavelength multiplexing).
- Space Technology:
✓ Radiation-resistant coatings for satellite electronics (Tm₂O₃-Al₂O₃ nanolaminates).
Key Properties Driving Innovation:
- Exceptional 4f-4f electronic transitions (450–800 nm emission)
- Thermal stability up to 2300°C (in inert atmospheres)
- Paramagnetic behavior exploitable in spintronic devices
Safety Note: Requires glove-box handling for nanoscale powders; naturally occurring Tm is non-radioactive, but neutron-activated forms demand NRC compliance.
This strategic material bridges classical optics and quantum technologies, with growing demand in next-gen telecommunications, clean energy systems, and precision medicine. Ongoing research explores its role in topological insulators and solid-state refrigeration.
