Rare Earth Alloys
At ACI Alloys, we make high purity rare-earth metals and alloys in house.
All lanthanide metals and alloys are arc-cast in a pure argon atmosphere into cold copper crucibles. We will custom make almost any material at whatever size and stoichiometry you request.
(Note: We don’t work with promethium, which is radioactive.)
Elements to the left of Gd in the above table are reactive in air, and may need to be shipped in mineral oil or a dessicant to minimize oxidation.
Here are some recent rare-earth sputtering targets we have made:
- Cerium and cerium alloys* (cerium-gadolidium, cerium-samarium)
- Dysprosium and dysprosium alloys (iron-dysprosium-terbium)
- Erbium and erbium alloys (gadolinium-erbium-silicon)
- Europium and europium alloys* (aluminum-barium-europium, barium-europium)
- Gadolinium and gadolidium alloys (cobalt-gadolinium, iron-gadolinium, gadolinium-terbium)
- Holmium and holmium alloys (holmium-zirconium)
- Lanthanum and lanthanum alloys* (lanthanum-nickel)
- Lutetium and lutetium alloys (gold-lutetium, silver-lutetium, tin-silver-lutetium)
- Neodymium and neodymium alloys* (neodymium-iron-boron, aluminum-neodymium)
- Praeseodymium and praeseodymium alloys* (praeseodymium-iron-boron)
- Samarium and samarium alloys* (samarium-cobalt, silver-samarium, samarium-iron)
- Scandium and scandium alloys (aluminum-scandium, chromium-scandium, nickel-scandium, scandium-titanium)
- Terbium and terbium alloys (nickel-iron-terbium, cobalt-terbium, iron-terbium)
- Thullium and thullium alloys (thullium-cerium, thullium-aluminum)
- Yttrium and ytrium alloys (chromium-iron-yttrium, hafnium-yttrium, zirconium-yttrium)
- Ytterbium and yterbium alloys (aluminum-ytterbium)
Lanthanum and nickel are weighed to achieve the correct stoichiometry
A master alloy is cast based on the La-Ni phase diagram. The remaining material is added over several melts to maintain homogeneity
The final alloy is ready for machining under oil.
For a list of our custom alloys made within the past 11 years, follow this link.