Lanthanum hexaboride for solar energy applications.

See more Lanthanum products. Lanthanum (atomic symbol: La, atomic number: 57) is a Block F, Group 3, Period 6 element with an atomic weight of 138.90547. The number of electrons in each of lanthanum's shells is [2, 8, 18, 18, 9, 2] and its electron configuration is [Xe] 5d¹ 6s². The lanthanum atom has a radius of 187 pm and a Van der Waals radius of 240 pm. Lanthanum was first discovered by Carl Mosander in 1838. In its elemental form, lanthanum has a silvery white appearance. It is a soft, malleable, and ductile metal that oxidizes easily in air. Lanthanum is the first element in the rare earth or lanthanide series. It is the model for all the other trivalent rare earths and it is the second most abundant of the rare earths after cerium. Lanthanum is found in minerals such as monazite and bastnasite. The name lanthanum originates from the Greek word Lanthaneia, which means 'to lie hidden'.

See more Boron products. Boron (atomic symbol: B, atomic number: 5) is a Block P, Group 13, Period 2 element with an atomic weight of 10.81. The number of electrons in each of boron's shells is 2, 3 and its electron configuration is [He] 2s² 2p¹. The boron atom has a radius of 90 pm and a Van der Waals radius of 192 pm. Boron was discovered by Joseph Louis Gay-Lussac and Louis Jacques Thénard in 1808 and was first isolated by Humphry Davy later that year. Boron is classified as a metalloid is not found naturally on earth. Along with carbon and nitrogen, boron is one of the few elements in the periodic table known to form stable compounds featuring triple bonds. Boron has an energy band gap of 1.50 to 1.56 eV, which is higher than that of either silicon or germanium. The name Boron originates from a combination of carbon and the Arabic word buraqu meaning borax.