THERMAL DECOMPOSITIONS OF LANTHANUM AND LANTHANIDE SALTS OF SEBACIC ACID

The conditions of thermal decomposition of La, Ce(III), Pr(III), Nd, Sm(III), Eu, Gd, Tb(III), Dy, Ho, Er, Tm, Yb and Lu sebacates have been studied. When heated in air atmosphere, the sebacates of La and lanthanides with general formula Ln2(C10H16O4)3.nH2O, where n = 6-24, lose some crystallization water molecules in one or two steps at 323-343 K and are then dehydrated and decomposed simultaneously to the oxides Ln2O3, CeO2, Pr6O11 and Tb4O7. The oxides are formed over the range of temperature 783 K (CeO2) - 1073 K (Nd2O3).