Periodic Table

Cerium

Lanthanide

Quick Facts about Cerium

La
  • solid- state of matter at room temperature
  • Stable- has at least one stable isotope
  • +4, +3- common oxidation states in compounds
  • FCC- crystal structure, atomic arrangement in solid form
Pr

Cerium (Ce) is element 58 on the periodic table. Atomic mass of Ce: 140.1200 u. Ce is in period 6. Melting point of Ce: 1068.00 K.Density of Ce: 6.77 g/cm³.

Why Cerium Matters

Cerium in everyday life and industry

In Your Home

  • Self-cleaning ovens use cerium oxide coatings to break down grease
  • Lighter flints contain cerium (as mischmetal—sparks when struck)
  • Polished mirrors and lenses were likely finished with cerium oxide

Industry Uses

AutomotiveCatalytic converters use CeO2 as an oxygen storage component to reduce emissions
Glass & OpticsCerium oxide is the primary glass polishing compound worldwide
PetroleumFluid cracking catalysts use cerium to improve gasoline yield

In Your Body

✗ Not essential

Cerium has no known biological role in humans. Cerium oxide nanoparticles show antioxidant properties in research. Some cerium compounds may have antimicrobial effects.

Safety: Generally considered to have low toxicity

Discovery of Cerium

Discovered by W. von Hisinger, J. Berzelius, M. Klaproth in Sweden/Germany, 1803

Name origin: Named after the asteroid, Ceres, discovered two years before the element.

History & Events

1803
Named after the dwarf planet Ceres, discovered around the same time
1803
Discovered in 1803 by Klaproth and independently by Berzelius and Hisinger
1803
Most abundant of all rare earth elements
1803
Ceres was itself named after the Roman goddess of agriculture

About Cerium

Most abundant lanthanide—silvery metal that tarnishes rapidly in air. Four stable isotopes (Ce-136, 138, 140, 142). Unique among lanthanides for its stable +4 oxidation state. Discovered 1803 by Klaproth, Berzelius, and Hisinger independently. Named after the asteroid Ceres, discovered just two years earlier.

Atomic Properties of Ce

Atomic Number of Ce
58
Atomic Mass of Ce
140.1200 u
Electron Configuration
[Xe] 4f1 5d1 6s2
Electronegativity
1.12
Block
f-block
Group
—
Period
6

Physical Properties of Ce

Phase (STP)
solid
Melting Point of Ce
1068.00 K
Boiling Point of Ce
3716.00 K
Density of Ce
6.7700 g/cm3

Thermal Properties

Heat of Fusion
5.20 kJ/mol
Heat of Vaporization
398.00 kJ/mol
Specific Heat
0.19 J/g·K
Molar Heat Capacity
26.94 J/mol·K
Thermal Conductivity
11.30 W/m·K

Atomic Radii

Calculated
185 pm
Covalent
163 pm
Van der Waals
242 pm

Common Misconceptions

Wrong:Cerium is rare like other 'rare earth' elements.
Correct:Cerium is the most abundant rare earth at 66 ppm—more common than copper (60 ppm) or tin (2 ppm). It's the 25th most abundant element in Earth's crust.
Wrong:Self-cleaning ovens work by heat alone.
Correct:The CeO2 coating catalytically oxidizes grease and food residue at lower temperatures. Without cerium, you'd need much higher heat for the same effect.
Wrong:Cerium only exists in the +3 oxidation state like other lanthanides.
Correct:Cerium readily forms Ce4+, unique among lanthanides. This Ce3+/Ce4+ redox cycling makes it invaluable in catalytic converters and as an oxidizing agent.

Isotopes of Cerium

Cerium has 4 naturally occurring isotopes, plus 1 notable radioactive isotope.

IsotopeAtomic Mass (u)AbundanceHalf-LifeDecay Mode
13658Ce (Ce-136)Cerium-136 isotope135.90712920.1850%——
13858Ce (Ce-138)Cerium-138 isotope137.9059910.2510%——
14058Ce (Ce-140)Cerium-140 isotope139.905443188.45%——
14258Ce (Ce-142)Cerium-142 isotope141.909250411.11%——
14458Ce (Ce-144)Cerium-144 isotope143.91365290%284.9 daysβ⁻

Data source: NIH PubChem (aggregated from IUPAC, NIST)

Isotope Applications

Isotopes of Cerium have important real-world applications in science and industry.

Geochronology & Dating

138Ce is a radiogenic isotope produced by decay of 138La, with a half-life of 1.06×1011 years, one of the longest clocks in geochronology. Thus, the isotope-amount ratio n(138Ce)/n(142Ce) can be used for dating rocks on long time scales (billions of years) and can also be used as a chemical tracer in geochemical studies.

Medical Applications

144Ce (with a half-life of 0.78 year) has been used for brachytherapy applications in cells and vessels of the body. The half-life and specific activity of 144Ce give it a potential advantage over the commonly used isotope 192Ir of higher dose rate at shorter distances and lower irradiation of organs outside the tumor [424]. 144Ce enables the treatment of larger arteries as compared with 32P, another isotope commonly used for this style of radiotherapy.

Abundance

Earth's Crust
66.5 mg/kg
Seawater
1.20×10-6 mg/L

Uses

Its oxides are used in the optics and glass-making industries. Its salts are used in the photography and textile industry. Used in high-intensity carbon lamps and as alloying agents in special metals.

Sources

Most abundant rare earth metal. Found in many minerals like monazite sand [Ce(PO4)].

Geochemistry

Goldschmidt
litophile
Geochemical Class
rare earth & related

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