Praseodymium

Praseodymium (Pr) — 10-Year Trends

As of 2026-09-25 · the last 10 years

Research intensity has climbed steadily, reaching about 47% of the element's all-time peak, a level far below the historic high set in 1965.

Research intensity ran from about 36% of the element's own all-time peak in 2016 to about 47% in 2026 — a steady climb, and the all-time peak (1965) lies before this window. Over the same span its share of research attention across all elements rose. Among the 118 elements, praseodymium has a mid-sized research literature.

The number of papers involving the element rose from about 600 in 2016 to about 1,593 in 2025 (2.65x). That is faster than the literature as a whole grew over the same years, so the element gained ground in the wider body of research.

The research communities driving this activity are diverse, with praseodymium often serving as a specific dopant or separation target within broader fields. The most prominent group is Praseodymium Separation from Neodymium in Rare Earth Processing, which accounts for about 13% of the element's recent research. This community focuses on the selective separation and extraction of praseodymium from neodymium mixtures using ionic liquids and aqueous solutions. Praseodymium is a minor presence in this much larger community, appearing in about 1% of its papers. The work is anchored by the "2023 Critical Materials Strategy," a 2023 document cited over 480 times, which highlights the strategic importance of these separation processes.

A second major area is Praseodymium Doping in Rare Earth Phosphors, representing about 8% of recent research. These papers investigate the synthesis and structural effects of incorporating praseodymium ions into host lattices for light-emitting materials. Here, praseodymium is also a minor presence, involved in about 1% of the community's work. Key research includes a 2022 study on "Visible solid-state lasers based on Pr3+ and Tb3+," cited about 99 times, which explores the optical properties of these doped materials.

The third significant community is Praseodymium-Doped Ceria for Oxygen Exchange Electrodes, comprising about 7% of the element's research. This field focuses on praseodymium-doped ceria thin films, analyzing surface oxygen exchange kinetics and electrocatalytic activity for solid oxide fuel cell electrodes. Praseodymium is a minor presence in this community as well, involved in about 1% of its papers. Notable work includes a 2025 paper on "Reduced Thermal Expansion and Improved Electrochemical Performance in Pr-Substituted SrFeO3," cited about 17 times, which addresses material stability in energy conversion devices.

The composition of praseodymium research has remained relatively stable over the last decade, with these three communities maintaining their shares. The remainder of the research, accounting for about 72% of the element's work, is spread across numerous smaller communities, including high-temperature superconductors and biomedical applications, where praseodymium plays a supporting role.

For a deeper look at the current state of praseodymium research, including recent breakthroughs and emerging applications, consider exploring the element's current-standing reports.