Synthesis of Mesoporous, Nanocrystalline Lanthanum Phosphate in the Presence of Citric Acid and Stearic Acid

Lanthanum phosphate was prepared in the presence of citric acid and stearic acid under methanolic conditions at pH 4.5 and pH 7, respectively. The samples obtained were intensively characterized using X-ray diffraction, nitrogen adsorption-desorption isotherm study, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), thermal gravimetric and differential thermal analysis, and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) analysis. The as-synthesized samples prepared at pH 4.5 showed lamellar mesostructured form with high crystallinity. Results showed that the pore size and pore volume changed when the materials were prepared under different pH conditions. Morphology of the samples was observed by using TEM, which showed that the samples possessed relatively small particles closely packed together. The as-synthesized samples were investigated using FTIR, and the mesopore formation mechanism was discussed.