Samarium nitrate is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula Sm(NO₃)₃. It is a white to pale yellow solid that is soluble in water to form the aqueous hexahydrate Sm(NO3)3·6H2O. Samarium nitrate is a typical rare earth nitrate with the chemical properties of rare earth elements.

1. Magnetic materials: Samarium is one of the key components in the manufacture of rare earth permanent magnets, especially samarium cobalt magnets. These magnets have extremely high magnetic properties and are widely used in motors, generators, hard disk drives, sensors, and other delicate devices.

2. Nuclear control: In the nuclear industry, samarium can be used as a neutron absorber to control the flow of neutrons in nuclear reactors, thus affecting the rate and efficiency of nuclear reactions.

3. Fuel cells and catalysts: Samarium nitrate can be used as a component of some types of fuel cells and catalysts to promote chemical reactions and improve energy conversion efficiency.

4. Research and laboratory reagents: In scientific research, samarium nitrate can be used as a chemical reagent for research in the fields of catalysis, analytical chemistry, and materials science.

5. Lighting: Samarium compounds have special applications in the lighting industry, they can emit a specific spectrum that is used to improve the light quality and color of fluorescent and LED lamps.

6. Metal alloy additives: Samarium can be added to metal alloys to improve their mechanical properties, such as heat resistance and corrosion resistance.

7. Medical imaging: Sm-153, an isotope of samarium, can be used in radiopharmaceuticals to treat bone cancer and perform bone scan imaging.