[citation needed] Most of the Nd3+ cations are coordinated by nine (or eight) oxygen atoms of the acetate ligands, which connect these polyhedra into slightly puckered sheets that are stacked in the [010] direction.

[1] The resulting hydrate, like many other neodymium salts, has the interesting property that it appears different colors under fluorescent light.

[1] It is also possible to prepare the hydrate by dissolving neodymium(III) oxide in glacial acetic acid, alkalinizing it to a pH value of 4 with sodium hydroxide, and then slowly evaporating the solution.

Therefore, alternatives are being searched for, including lanthanides or platinum blue[22][23][24][25] as well as the use of less defined substances such as oolong tea extract.

[8] In the periodic table the vertical ordering of elements in groups is based on the presence of the same number of electrons in their outermost shell, which determines their chemical and physical properties.