Thermal decompositions of Y, La and lanthanide 3-hydroxybenzoates in air and nitrogen atmospheres

Abstract

The conditions of thermal decomposition of heavy lathanide complexes with 3-hydroxybenzoic acid in air and nitrogen atmospheres have been studied. On heating, the complexes of Gd, Dy, Ho, Yb and Lu decompose in three stages. First, the hydrated complexes lose crystallization water and the anhydrous salts heated in air are then transformed to Ln2O3, or in a nitrogen atmosphere to Ln2O3 and C. Complexes of Tb(III), Ho and Er are dehydrated in two stages during heating, and the anhydrous complexes are converted in air to Ln2O3 and Tb4O7, and in a nitrogen atmosphere to a mixture of oxides and C. The carbon content in the decomposition product ranges between 9.7% for Gd and 19.6% for Ho.