History
Cerium ore was opened in 1803, it was obtained by Mozander in 1839 in its pure form, (in conjunction with lanthanum ore), but only in 1875 first a metal cerium was received. American chemist William Francis Gillebrand made it an, who was working along with his assistant Norton. And in 1894, first patent was taken for cerium oxide used for lamps.
Nowadays
One of the applications cerium is using it as an alloying additive to steel. But the more other additives are added, the less should be the addition of cerium. Also cerium used in the manufacture of glass panes that are not paled from radiation. Unlike other lantanoids, especially samarium, europium and gadolinium, cerium not only captures the neutrons, but missed them. The amount of thermal neutron capture cross section of cerium lower than that of gadolinium in 60 thousand times. His dioxide into the glass as a clarifier, and sometimes as a light yellow color. It is also known a polirit - brown powder, consisting of oxides of rare earth elements. There is cerium oxide is not less than 45%. This powder is used for polishing glasses.
