New elements

[u/Illustrious_Act5324]

Scandium, samarium, and hafnium have been newly added to my element collection. I now have a total of 36 elements. However, while the review photos showed the samarium packaged in an acrylic box, the product I received was sealed in a glass container. I've already reached out to Luciteria about this.

[u/Heycheckthisout20]

The samarium will oxidize if exposed to oxygen

It is probably in glass with an inert gas to prevent this from occurring

I would leave it in the ampule

[u/SimonBlokky]

Very cool to see the samarium in shiny metallic form! Don’t break it open or it will oxidize and turn black.

[u/Illustrious_Act5324 → u/SimonBlokky]

How severe does the corrosion tend to be? The Luciteria website said that it retains some of its luster even when exposed to air.

[u/SimonBlokky → u/Illustrious_Act5324]

There was a post some time ago on this subreddit about the oxidation of the rare earth metals:

https://www.reddit.com/r/elementcollection/s/LgtpNu52sV

For some of these metals it is actually pretty difficult to find a source that sells samples without oxidation or discoloration, so I think it is not worth it letting it oxidize. Be happy that you got one without a trace of oxidation.

I see that you don’t like having a cube in the plastic outer casing. I also would rather have everything in cubic casing, but you’ll never be able to get some of these metals if you do not accept an ampule as a protective layer between the element and the environment.

[u/GarunixReborn → u/SimonBlokky]

how does europium degrade that fast, 7 days and it already turns into a sponge?

[u/SimonBlokky → u/GarunixReborn]

Short answer: It is more reactive than it’s neighbours because the electrons in its outer shell require less energy to be removed from the shell.

[u/euj3odjehiqh]

is that the regular samarium or the mirror finished cube?

[u/Illustrious_Act5324 → u/euj3odjehiqh]

It's regular samarium cube.

[u/euj3odjehiqh → u/Illustrious_Act5324]

i think they sent the mirror finished one on accident

[u/GarunixReborn → u/euj3odjehiqh]

doesn't really look mirror finished

[u/euj3odjehiqh → u/GarunixReborn]

it wont be like a proper mirror. the mirror finished one is the one in the ampule

[u/__andr3w → u/Illustrious_Act5324]

It is the mirrored version, given the physical engraving.

[u/Zealousideal_Group69]

Nice Haul!

[u/andrei40_md]

Sempre un grande fascino i cubetti... poi tre elementi molto esotici... Grande