Rare earth functional materials have attracted much attention in the market and will become the stars of new materials in the future

"Few people do not recognize that rare earths play a vital role in strategic emerging industries such as new energy, energy conservation and environmental protection and new materials." Xiong Jiaqi, a former member of the expert group of the rare earth leading group of the State Council, said in an interview with the media in March 2010.

   rare earth elements are the general name of 15 lanthanide elements in the periodic table of chemical elements and two closely related elements scandium and yttrium. They are widely used and important. Li Changjiu, a researcher at the world issues research center of Xinhua news agency, recently published an article pointing out that rare earths are indispensable not only in high-tech industries, but also in the production of a large number of daily necessities such as mobile phones, computer hard disks and monitors. Therefore, rare earth is also known as "gold in the 21st century".

It is reported that rare earth is an indispensable element in the manufacture of precision guided weapons, radar, night vision goggles, and other weapons and equipment. The reason why the US Patriot missile can intercept incoming missiles is due to the use of about 4kg tungsten cobalt magnets and titanium iron boron magnets in its guidance system; The spy-1 radar of the US Aegis system also uses magnets made of Chinese rare earths. Without these elements, these weapons would be "blind".

  at the end of 2009, the test flight of Boeing 787 Dreamliner was successful. Its main structure is made of carbon fiber synthetic material and titanium material. It can save 20% fuel and emit less greenhouse gases during long voyage. The new materials used in this aircraft are related to rare earth, non-ferrous metals and other raw materials.

  the development of energy-saving hybrid electric vehicles is also closely related to rare earth elements. According to an article published by the British Independent in January 2010, Toyota's annual output of Prius hybrid vehicles will reach 1 million, and the production of each Prius vehicle requires 16 kg of rare earth. Xiong Jiaqi said that the application of rare earth in a Prius car may include: rare earth hydrogen storage material battery, rare earth permanent magnet material motor, exhaust gas treatment catalyst containing rare earth elements, oxygen sensor, rubber tire, rare earth material ceramics, and rare earth alloy and glass used to reduce car weight and radiate ultraviolet rays.

  dysprosium and terbium in rare earth elements are very scarce because they are magic ingredients for green energy products. A very small amount of dysprosium can lighten the magnet in the motor by 90%, and terbium can save energy by 80%.

  nowadays, as one of China's strategic emerging industries, the new material industry represented by rare earth functional materials has attracted much market attention. In the three fields of energy conservation and environmental protection, new energy and new energy vehicles, rare earth functional materials have incomparable advantages. Rare earth permanent magnet, luminescence, catalysis, hydrogen storage and polishing materials will become stars in the field of new materials in the future.