Eugene-Anatole Demarcay discovered europium by using a new spectroscope, which he developed to study rare earth elements. His spectroscope had an induction coil that could produce a very high spark temperature and used platinum electrodes to remove all other spectral lines. His spectral results were not approved by many and he made it a point to find more proof. He got his proof in 1901, when he was able to isolate europium through repeated crystallization of samarium magnesium nitrate and earned the title of being its discoverer. What is striking is, had samarium not been found, Demarcay would not have found europium. The element gets its name from the continent of Europe.
In 1904, French chemist Georges Urbain separated europium from impure gadolinium using bismuth magnesium nitrate. He discovered that bismuth nitrate will crystallise between two fractions of rare earth in most conditions, which makes it easy to separate them.
Europium is used as control rods in nuclear reactors because of their effectiveness in absorbing neutrons. Europium oxide is also used as a phosphor activator. Europium doped plastics are used as laser materials and for producing superconducting alloys. It also helps in anti-forgery measures of the euro currency.
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