Thermal decomposition of yttrium, lanthanum and lanthanide complexes of square acid in air atmosphere

Abstract

The conditions of thermal decomposition of the Y, La and lanthanide complexes of square acid in air atmosphere have been studied. On heating, the complexes of Y, La, Ce(III), Pr(III), Nd, Sm, Eu(III), Gd, Tb(III) and Ho decompose in two steps. First, the hydrated complexes lose crystallization water to form anhydrous salts. The complexes of Dy and Er decompose in three steps; they are dehydrated in two steps to form anhydrous salts. The complexes of Tm, Yb and Lu are dehydrated in three steps; in two steps they lose water molecules to form octahydrates, which in the third step are dehydrated during decomposition. On heating, the anhydrous complexes of Y, Ce(III), Pr(III), Eu(III), Gd, Tb(III), Dy, Ho and Er and the octahydrated salts of Tm, Yb and Lu decompose directly to the oxides Ln2O3, CeO2, Pr6O11 and Tb4O7. The anhydrous complexes of La, Nd and Sm decompose to Ln2O3 with intermediate formation of Ln2O2CO3.