Gadolinium has useful properties in alloys. As little as 1% gadolinium can improve the workability of iron (Method Of Manufacturing Ferrous Alloy Having Gadolinium (2016)), and chromium alloys, and their resistance to high temperatures and oxidation.
It is also used in alloys for making magnets (Permanent Magnets Of Cobalt, Samarium, Gadolinium Alloy (1975)), electronic components (Magnetic Head With High Signal-To-Noise Ratio – Has Amorphous Thin Film Hall Element Of Cobalt Gadolinium Alloy (1981)), and data storage disks.
Gadolinium compounds are useful in magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), particularly in diagnosing cancerous tumours:
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All patent information has been obtained from Espacenet (European Patent Office).