Gadolinium Applications

Some gadolinium alloys, especially with cobalt and iron make possible to create information-carrying devices with gigantic record density due to special structures - cylindrical magnetic domains (bubbles), which, with dimensions less than 1 µm, have a capacity of 10⁹ bit per sm² of information-carrying device surface.

Gadolinium has the biggest neutron capture cross-section, 49000 barns, due to which may be used for radiation protection.

Gadolinium-153 is used in osteoporosis diagnostics. Gadolinium chloride is used for Kupffer cell blocking.

Gadolinium, germanium silicon and 1% iron alloys are used in magnetic refrigerators production due to enormous magnetocaloric effect. Gadolinium's high magnetic movement and low Curie temperature (which lies just at room temperature) suggest applications as a magnetic component for sensing hot and cold.