Facile synthesis of lanthanum carbonate octahydrate and lanthanum oxide nanoparticles by sonochemical method: systematic characterizations

This study could present the size and morphology of two synthesized nanoparticles (NPs) by observing their smallest possible dimensions. Lanthanum carbonate nanoparticles were synthesized by sonochemical method through the interaction of lanthanum acetate hydrate and sodium carbonate in an aqueous medium with a probe sonicator. After rigorous washing followed by drying, the La-2(CO3)(3)<middle dot>8H(2)O(S1) NPs were calcined at a temperature of 600 degrees C to obtain lanthanum oxide nanoparticles (S2). Both NPs were characterised through various instrumental techniques. PXRD study showed orthorhombic with space group of Pccn (56) and hexagonal phases with space group of P<overline>3m1(164) for S1 and S2 respectively whose morphology and elemental analysis were studied through FESEM and EDX. High resolution TEM image of La-2(CO3)(3)<middle dot>8H(2)O and La2O3 showed spherical shapes of the nanoparticles. Further study of XPS and FTIR conveyed detailed information of both nanoparticles whose TGA-DSC showed three step decomposition curves. The size and morphology of the synthesized nanoparticles have been found to have a distinct morphology and are found comparatively smaller in size than those observed in the earlier reported works (Table 1).