Rare earth nanorods
AssigneeAntaria Limited
InventorJohn Sydney Robinson
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Abstract
A process for the production of nanorods containing a rare earth metal is disclosed. The process comprises the steps of: (a) increasing the pH of an aqueous solution of the formula MX3, where M is a trivalent rare earth metal cation and X is a monovalent anion so as to produce a reaction product containing X anions in solution and a precipitate in the form of trivalent rare earth hydroxide nanoparticles of the formula M(OH)3, the nanoparticles having a hexagonal crystal structure; and, (b) ageing the nanoparticles of step (a) in the presence of the reaction product containing X anions in solution so as to cause rod-like anisotropic growth of the nanoparticles and form rare earth hydroxide nanorods.
Claims21
A process for the production of nanorods containing a rare earth metal, the process comprising the steps of:
- (a) increasing the pH of an aqueous solution of the formula MX3, wherein M is a trivalent rare earth metal cation and X is at least one halide anion, so as to produce a reaction product containing X anions in solution and a precipitate in the form of trivalent rare earth hydroxide nanoparticles of the formula M(OH)3, the nanoparticles having a hexagonal crystal structure;
- and
- (b) ageing the nanoparticles of step (a) in the presence of the reaction product containing X anions in solution so as to facilitate rod-like anisotropic growth of the nanoparticles and form rare earth hydroxide nanorods, wherein the step of ageing is conducted at atmospheric pressure and at a temperature less than 80° C.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.