Non-isothermal studies of the decomposition course of lanthanum oxalate decahydrate

The thermal decomposition of lanthanum oxalate hydrate La2(C2O4)3·10H2O till 900 °C, in air, is investigated by non-isothermal gravimetry and differential thermal analyses. Intermediates and final solid products were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and IR-spectroscopy, the results show that La2(C2O4)3·10H2O dehydrates in stepwise at 86–360 °C and decomposes to La2O3 at 710 °C through different intermediates, La2(C2O4)3, La2O(CO3)2 and La2O2CO3, that form at 400, 425 and 470 °C, respectively. The final product La2O3 obtained at 800 °C has a surface area of 13.4 m2/g. The activation energy, ΔE of the observed thermal processes is obtained by the non-isothermal method.