Lanthanated

Lanthanated refers to something that contains lanthanum. Lanthanum is a chemical element with the symbol La and atomic number 57. It is the first element in the lanthanide series, a group of 15 similar metallic elements on the periodic table. Lanthanum itself is a soft, silvery-white metal.

In practical applications, the term "lanthanated" is most commonly encountered in reference to optical lenses. Lanthanum oxide, the oxide of lanthanum, can be incorporated into glass to increase its refractive index and decrease its dispersion. This results in lenses that are flatter, thinner, and capable of producing sharper images with less chromatic aberration compared to lenses made with conventional glass. Such lanthanated glass is highly valued in the manufacturing of high-quality photographic lenses, camera lenses, telescopes, and other precision optical instruments.

Another use of lanthanum, and thus where the term "lanthanated" might apply, is in the production of special alloys. Lanthanum can be added to certain metals to improve their properties, such as increasing their strength or resistance to corrosion. For example, lanthanum is a component in mischmetal, an alloy used in lighter flints. While less common in everyday terminology, any material containing lanthanum can be considered "lanthanated."