Synthesis and characterization of lanthanide carbonates obtained during the reaction of urea with lanthanide(III) salts at high temperature

Abstract

Lanthanide(III) carbonates, Ln2(CO3)3·nH2O (Ln = Y, La, Ce or Sm; n = 4–6) were obtained during the reaction of aqueous solutions of LnX3 (X- = Cl- or NO3-) with urea at ~ 80 ºC for several hours. The reaction products were characterized via elemental analysis and infrared spectroscopy. The infrared spectra clearly show the characteristic bands due to carbonate ions. General reaction equations describing the formation of lanthanide carbonates were proposed.

Keywords

• lanthanide(iii) ions
• urea
• infrared spectra