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Silver-grey terbium is relatively stable in air. It is a malleable, ductile element that is not found free in nature.
Applications of terbium are rare. This lanthanide has been used to dope compounds such as calcium tungstate or strontium molybdate to produce a desired electrical property for solid-state electronic devices. One of terbium's compounds, sodium terbium borate, is occasionally used as a laser material. Like many elements, terbium is also a constituent of various alloys.
In fuel cells, terbium is often combined with zirconium oxide to stabilize crystals at elevated temperatures. At the National Research Council Canada's (NRC) Institute for Fuel Cell Innovation, extensive research is being performed in this area.