Lanthanum metal has no commercial uses. However, its alloys have a variety of applications. Lanthanum-nickel heat resisting alloys are used in jet engines: Heat resistant nickel alloy – contg. lanthanum for jet engine components (1974).
Lanthanum is also found in nickel metal hydride rechargeable fuel cells: Lanthanum nickel hydride-hydrogen/metal oxide cell (1978).
Lanthanum compounds can be used in hydrogen storage media: Hydrogen sorbent composition and its use (1977).
Lanthanum boride LaB6 is very efficient thermionic emitter (Method For Fabricating Lanthanum Boride Cathodes (1971)) and is used for high brightness filaments for electron microscopes for example.
Lanthanum(III) oxide is used in conjunction with other metal oxides to make special optical glasses (Optical glass, useful for producing optical elements such as lenses and prisms, comprises silicon dioxide, diboron trioxide, aluminum trioxide, lanthanum oxide, niobium oxide, calcium oxide, zinc oxide, titanium dioxide and zirconium oxide (2010)). These mixed metal oxide glasses have improved optical properties and chemical stability.
Lanthanum salts are used in catalysts in the petrochemical industry: Process for the polymerisation of olefines (1961)).
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All patent information has been obtained from Espacenet (European Patent Office).