Preparation of La(OH)3 and La2O3 with Rod Morphology by Simple Hydration of La2O3

Lanthanum hydroxide with rod-like morphology was synthesized with simple hydration processing via the hydration of its bulk oxide in normal water solution at boiling temperature. An XRD pattern shows the formation of the hexagonal phase of La(OH)3, indicating that the hydration process is very rapid. The as-prepared La(OH)3 is almost entirely with a needle- or rod-like shape with a width of 2 ∼ 3 μm and a length of 5 ∼ 8 μm. The mechanism of the formation of La(OH)3 with rod-like morphology was preliminarily presented. It is easier to expand the simple hydration process on a large scale than the hydrothermal process.