Galvanostatic investigation of electrochemical processes at the LaF<Subscript>3</Subscript>/M (M: Ag,Bi) interface

The electrochemical processes at the interface between solid fluorine-conducting electrolyte LaF₃(Eu²⁺ 0.8 mol %) and silver or bismuth electrodes in the two-electrode cell with nonpolarizable reference electrode are studied using the galvanostatic method. The anodic galvanostatic transients of LaF₃: Eu²⁺/Ag and LaF₃: Eu²⁺/Bi interfaces are linearized on the log(η ? η_max), vs. t coordinates, i.e. the rate of LaF₃|MF _n |M electrode formation is limited by slow surface diffusion of metal adions. The initial portions of cathodic galvanostatic transients in the range of solid-electrolyte lanthanum reduction are approximated by the linear dependence of η on log(1 ? √t/τ). The plots of logI vs. 1/η are linear both for the lanthanum reduction and for silver and bismuth oxidation involving mobile fluoride ion of solid electrolyte, which is typical for two-dimensional growth of new phase.     

Effect of the Electrode Material on the Reduction of La<Superscript>3+</Superscript> and Ce<Superscript>3+</Superscript> in Fluoride-Conducting Solid Electrolytes

The reduction of immobile cations La³⁺ and Ce³⁺ in fluoride-conducting solid electrolytes (FSE) LaF₃ (Eu²⁺ 0.8 mol %), LaF₃ (Sr²⁺ 5 mol %), and CeF₃ (Sr²⁺ 5 mol %) in contact with Ag, Bi, Si, La, Ce, and Sm working electrodes is studied by chronoamperometry and voltammetry with linear potential scan. Discovered is linear dependence of initial segments of potentiostatic transients of cathodic current on t ^1/2 at FSE interfaces with Ag, Bi, La, Ce, and Sm. The dependence is due to diffusion-controlled instantaneous nucleation of Ln and Ce. The La³⁺ and Ce³⁺ reduction at the FSE/Ag interface is reversible in a narrow region. The reduction and oxidation of La³⁺ and Ce³⁺ (cations of the FSE rigid lattice) at the FSE/Me (Me = La, Ce and Sm, Bi, Si) interface is irreversible and involves a chemical reaction.__________Translated from Elektrokhimiya, Vol. 41, No. 5, 2005, pp. 662–672.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Turaeva, Kot, Urchukova, Murin.     

Kinetics of intermediate phase growth at the interface of fluoride-conducting solid electrolytes with metal electrodes

The effect of the reference electrode (Ag, AgCl∣KF + KCl or Sn, SnF₂) on the kinetics of new phase growth at interfaces formed by LaF₃:Eu²⁺ or CeF₃:Sr²⁺ single crystal solid electrolytes with metal electrodes of Ag and Bi is studied by chronoamperometry and linear scan voltammetry. It is shown that when a solid-phase reference electrode is used, the current transients reflect hindrances associated with instantaneous two- or three-dimensional nucleation as well as limitations for fluoride ion diffusion in the solid electrolyte.     

Voltammetry with a Fluoride-Selective Electrode with Solid-Phase Reference System

Experimental results obtained in a study of the voltammetric response of an all-solid fluoride-selective electrode based on LaF₃ (Eu²⁺ 0.8 mol %), LaF₃ (Sr²⁺ 5 mol %) and CeF₃ (Sr²⁺ 5 mol %) single crystals brought in contact with Ag, Bi, and Sn metal samples are presented. The method of cathodic inversion voltammetry was applied to study the reduction of La³⁺ and Ce³⁺-cations from the rigid sublattice of solid electrolytes, which determines the threshold of the electrochemical stability of a membrane. Anodic inversion voltammetry was used to investigate the characteristics of solid-phase generation of metal fluorides at the interface between the fluoride-selective electrode and metals.     

Effect of the electrode material on the oxygen reduction at the nonstoichiometric lanthanum fluoride/electrode interface

The voltammetry method with a linear potential scan is used for investigating the effect the electrode material (Ni, Co, electrodes on the basis of cobalt oxides modified with carbon) exerts on the reduction of gaseous oxygen at interfaces solid fluoride-conducting electrode LaF₃:Eu²⁺/electrode, O₂, and conjugated processes. Properties of the modified electrodes are characterized by the impedance spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy methods. The oxygen reaction is irreversible at the LaF₃:Eu²⁺|Ni (or Co) interfaces. At the interface of LaF₃:Eu²⁺ with modified electrodes Co (C n at %), where n = 5 and 9, mobile forms of oxygen are reversible and the reduction of gaseous and chemisorbed oxygen is controlled by diffusion with different effective kinetic parameters.     

Gamma-ray induced decomposition of double nitrates of lanthanides with univalent and divalent cations

Double nitrates of Na and K having the composition 2M^INO₃·Ln^III(NO₃)₃·2H₂O(Ln^III=Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb and Dy) and of Ni and Cu with the composition 3M^II(NO₃)₂·2Ln^III(NO₃)₃·24H₂O (Ln^III=La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb and Dy) have been prepared and their -radiolytic decomposition studied up to 500 kGy. G(NO ₂ ^– ) values of K double nitrates at 230 kGy follow the order Dy³⁺>Pr³⁺=Nd³⁺=Sm³⁺>Tb³⁺>Eu³⁺> Gd³⁺·G(NO ₂ ³⁺ ) for NI double nitrates are higher than those of Cu double nitrates. Variation of G(NO ₂ ^– ) with cationic radii and the number of f electrons in lanthanide ion show a minimum at Eu. Thermal decomposition studies of double nitrates were also carried out.     

Electrochemical formation of a low-dimensional phase on the boundary between the LaF<Subscript>3</Subscript>:Eu<Superscript>2+</Superscript> single crystal and the metal

The kinetics of the formation of a new phase at the interface between the LaF₃:Eu²⁺ single crystal and the (Sn, Bi, or Sb) metallic electrodes was studied using potentiostatic transient measurements and voltammetry with a linear variation of voltage. A comparison of the theoretical and experimental reduced transients that define two-dimensional instantaneous nucleation on a plot of I/I _m vs. t/t _m and three-dimensional growth of the instantaneous and progressive types of nucleation on a plot of I ²/I _m² vs. t/t _m showed that the model was not fully consistent with the experiment. The dependence of the stationary current logI _A(max) of the potentiostatic transients on 1/η during the formation of the intermediate phase on the boundaries of LaF₃:Eu²⁺|Sn and LaF₃:Eu²⁺|Bi was found to be linear, which corresponds to two-dimensional nucleation and growth of the new phase.     

Chemical processing for inorganic fluoride and oxyfluoride materials having optical functions

Chemical processing such as a sol–gel method can offer interesting and useful routes for designing and synthesizing inorganic metal fluoride and oxyfluoride materials for applications in optics and photonics. In our series of studies during the last decade, a variety of fluoride materials including alkaline earth fluorides (MgF₂, CaF₂, SrF₂ and BaF₂), rare-earth fluorides (LaF₃, NdF₃, GdF₃, etc.), rare-earth oxyfluorides (LaOF, EuOF, GdOF, Sm₄O₃F₆, Er₄O₃F₆, etc.) and complex fluorides (SrAlF₅, BaMgF₄, BaLiF₃, LiGdF₄, etc.) have been prepared, using trifluoroacetic acid as a fluorine source, in the form of nanoparticles, thin films and oxide/fluoride nanocomposites. They can be utilized as anti-reflective coatings, luminescent materials, VUV materials, IR materials, and so forth. This article summarizes fundamentals and possible applications of optically useful inorganic fluoride and oxyfluoride materials, with emphasis on porous single-layer anti-reflective coatings and visible photoluminescence of doped Eu³⁺ or Eu²⁺ ions. Furthermore, our recent results on LaF₃:Ce³⁺ and LaOF:Ce³⁺ are originally reported here.     

Crystal structure variations in the series SrLnCuS3 (Ln = La,Pr, Sm,Gd, Er and Lu)

The crystal structures of the complex sulfides SrLnCuS₃ (Ln = Sm, Gd, Er and Lu) have been determined and refined using powder X‐ray diffraction. The crystals are found to be orthorhombic, with the structure type changing consecutively in the order BaLaCuS₃ → Eu₂CuS₃ → KZrCuS₃ as the Ln³⁺ ionic radius decreases in the order La/Pr → Sm/Gd → Er/Lu. Variations of the structure parameters along the series of compounds studied are analyzed, and an effect caused by crystallochemical contraction on the stabilization of the respective structure types is demonstrated.     

Electrochemical behavior of single crystals of nonstoichiometric cerium(III) fluorides

The electrochemical properties of single crystals of cerium fluoride alloyed with bivalent cations Sr²⁺, Ca²⁺, Ba²⁺, Sr²⁺ + Ca²⁺, Sr²⁺ + Ba²⁺, Ba²⁺ + Ca²⁺ and also with La³⁺ and La³⁺ + Ba²⁺ cations are studied using the dynamic voltammetry and impedance spectroscopy. The conductivity of symmetrical cells with Ag electrodes is determined using the method of impedance spectroscopy in the frequency range from 450 to 5 kHz at the temperatures from 20 to 100°C: for CeF₃: Sr²⁺ (0.5 mol %) + Ba²⁺ (0.5 mol %), σ = σ₀ exp[(?0.284 ± 0.005/kT]; for CeF₃:Ca²⁺ (0.5 mol %) + Sr²⁺ (0.5 mol %), σ = σ₀ exp[(?0.292 ± 0.017/kT]. The steady-state and dynamic voltammogams of symmetrical electrochemical cells with nonpolarizable reference electrodes and CeF₃ single crystals alloyed with Sr²⁺, Ca²⁺, and Ba²⁺ bivalent cations exhibited ohmic polarization. For cells with CeF₃ containing La³⁺ as an admixture, a hysteresis was observed, which could not be eliminated by chemical and electrochemical treatment of crystals. In the dynamic voltammetric curves of asymmetric cells with nonpolarizable and silver electrode and CeF₃ crystals alloyed with Sr²⁺, Ca²⁺, and Ba²⁺, a range of ideal polarizability (from 0 to ～?2.7 V), and also cerium redox processes and silver fluorination-boundary regeneration were observed. In the dynamic voltammetric curves of asymmetric cells with CeF₃ containing La³⁺ admixture, no range of ideal polarizability was observed; however, the reactions of silver fluorination and reduction of solid-electrolyte cerium were well pronounced at the corresponding potentials.     

Regularities of change in the structural parameters of EuLnCuS<Subscript>3</Subscript> (Ln = La–Nd,Sm, Gd,Ho)

Regularities of change in the structural parameters of EuLnCuS₃ (Ln = La–Nd, Sm, Gd, Ho) at an annealing temperature of 970 and 1170 K have been established. A decrease in the Ln³⁺ ionic radius results in the consecutive change of structural types (STs) for the compounds: α-EuLnCuS₃ (Ln = La, Ce, Pr, Nd; BaLaCuS₃ ST) → β-EuLnCuS₃ (Ln = Ce, Pr, Nd; Ba2MnS₃ ST) → γ-EuLnCuS₃ (Ln = Sm, Gd, Ho; Eu₂CuS₃ST). The change of structural types for EuLnCuS₃ leads to a jump-like change in their unit cell parameters and the transformation of coordination polyhedra shaped as a one-capped trigonal prism LnS₇ (α and β phases) into an octahedron LnS₆ (γ phases). The appearance of morphotropic changes correlates with the tetrad effect.     

Separating Ag, B, Cd, Dy, Eu, and Sm in a Gd matrix using 2-ethylhexyl phosphonic acid mono-2-ethylhexyl ester extraction chromatography for ICP-AES analysis

The separation procedure for Ag, B, Cd, Dy, Eu and Sm as impurities in Gd matrix using ICP-AES technique with an extraction chromatographic column has been developed. The spectral interference of the Gd matrix on the elements was eliminated using a chromatography technique with 2-ethylhexyl phosphonic acid mono-2-ethylhexyl ester (PC-88A) as the mobile phase and XAD-16 resin as the stationary phase. Ag⁺, B₄O₇²⁻, and Cd²⁺ were eluted with 0.1 M HNO₃, while rare earth ions were not. The best eluent for separating Eu and Sm in the Gd matrix was 0.3 M HNO₃. The limit of quantitation for these elements was 0.6-3.0 ng mL⁻¹. The recovery of Ag, B, and Cd was 90-104% using 0.1 M HNO₃ as the eluent, while that of Eu, Gd, and Sm ranged from 100 to 102% with 0.3 M HNO₃. Dy was recovered quantitatively with 4 M HNO₃. The relative standard deviation of the methods for a set of three replicates was between 1.0 and 15.4% for the synthetic and standard Gd solutions. The proposed separation procedure was used to measure Ag, B, Cd, Dy, Eu, and Sm in a standard Gd solution.     

Separation of cerium and europium by extraction with tributyl phosphate and di(2-ethylhexyl)phosphoric acid in n-alkane from nitrate solutions

The following extraction systems have been studied: (Ce³⁺+Eu³⁺) (NO₃)-(EDTA, DCTA, DTPA)/TBP in n-alkane and (Ce³⁺+Eu³⁺)(NO₃)/DEHPA in n-alkane at concentration ratios as follows: [Ce³⁺]=trace –1 mol·dm^–3, [Eu³⁺]=trace –0.1 mol·dm^–3. [TBP]=(0.183–1.83) mol·dm^–3, [DEHPA]=(5·10^–3–0.1) mol·dm^–3, [(H, Na)NO₃]=(0.1–6) mol·dm^–3, [Eu³⁺]: [EDTA, DCTA, DTPA]=11–110. The initial concentration of Eu³⁺ in aqueous phase in the extraction system containing a mixture of Ce³⁺ and Eu³⁺ was trace, 1% and 10% compared with the Ce³⁺ concentration. The distribution of the elements between the phases was observed radiometrically using¹⁴¹Ce,¹⁵²Eu and¹⁵⁴Eu. The results are documented by the distribution ratios D_Ce, D_Eu and separation factor =D_Eu/D_Ce as functions of variable parameters of the systems.     

Oxygen reduction at the interface of nonstoichiometric fluoride single crystals with metal electrodes

Electrochemical measurements are carried out on three-phase boundaries LaF₃:Eu²⁺/Me, oxygen gas, where Me = Ti, Be, Ta, Au and also on the boundaries of CeF₃:Sr²⁺ with Ag-supported Ag and Bi microelectrodes by the methods of linear scan voltammetry, chronoamperometry, and cyclic voltammetry. The conditions beneficial for reduction of oxygen gas, transformations of chemisorbed oxygen, and the appearance of its mobile forms are considered. Results on the interaction of gaseous oxygen with metals in contact with LaF₃:Eu²⁺ single crystals are generalized. The correlation is found between the oxygen reduction potential and the difference of electronegativities Δχ Me-O. The relationship is revealed between the oxygen reduction potential and the Me-Me bond energy by taking into account the structural factor f/k _n, where f is the number of binding electrons and k _n is the coordination number.     

Synthesis of highly fluorescent LaF3:Ln/LaF3 core/shell nanocrystals by a surfactant-free aqueous solution route

A surfactant-free aqueous solution route has been established for the synthesis of LaF₃:Ln³⁺/LaF₃ core/shell nanocrystals (Ln=Ce, Tb, Nd) heated at 75 °C at ambient pressure. All the as-prepared nanocrystals with spherical shape have an average size around 20 nm, and consist of well crystallized hexagonal phases. The X-ray photoelectron spectra was used to confirm that the LaF₃ shells have coated the LaF₃:Ce³⁺, Tb³⁺ cores. Compared with that of the original cores under the same conditions, the emission intensity of the LaF₃:Ce³⁺, Tb³⁺/LaF₃ and LaF₃:Nd³⁺/LaF₃ core/shell nanocrystals increased significantly of 120% and 60%, respectively. The quantum yield of the LaF₃:Ce³⁺, Tb³⁺/LaF₃ core/shell nanocrystals reached about 27% in aqueous solution. These results indicate that a significant reduction of the quenching from the surface of the core nanocrystals can be obtained by the synthesis of the core/shell structures, and this method can provide more desirable lanthanide-doped nanocrystals for potential biological applications.     

Thermal annealing of LaF3:Eu3+ nanocrystals synthesized by a solvothermal method and their luminescence properties

In this work, we used a low temperature solvothermal method to synthesize Eu³⁺-doped LaF₃ (LaF₃:Eu³⁺) nanocrystals. The effect of thermal annealing on their phase structures and luminescence properties was studied. Transformation from LaF₃ to LaOF was observed after the annealing, and the initial transformation process was studied using a rapid thermal annealing technique. It was found that a sufficiently high annealing temperature is required for the transformation of LaF₃ to LaOF. LaOF phase started to be formed after annealing at 500 °C for as short as 5 min, and higher annealing temperatures and longer annealing time led to a larger amount of LaOF formed. With the increase of the formation of LaOF, the luminescence was greatly enhanced. Strong O^2? → Eu³⁺ charge transfer band was present in these samples annealed at 500 °C and higher temperatures, and greatly enhanced ⁷F₀ → ⁵D₂ transition of Eu³⁺ was also observed.     

Cyclic Voltammetry of a Fluoride-Selective Electrode in Contact with Metals

Electrochemical behavior of the interface between a LaF₃ : Eu²⁺ single-crystal fluoride-selective membrane and Bi, Sn, Pb, Sb, and Cd metallic microelectrodes is considered with the aim to apply a fluoride-selective electrode in solid-state voltammetry. The ionization-discharge processes on the metals in air, involving mobile fluoride ions from the LaF₃ membrane, were studied by cyclic voltammetry.__________Translated from Zhurnal Prikladnoi Khimii, Vol. 78, No. 2, 2005, pp. 265–272.Original Russian Text Copyright © 2005 by Turaeva, Pegova, Vasilevskii.     

Verbindungen der Seltenerdelemente mit α-Benzoinoxim, 1. Mitt.

Zusammenfassung Substanzen der ZusammensetzungLnCl₃·3H₂ Box ^* (Ln=La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Y) und LaBr₃·3 H₂ Box wurden isoliert und durch Thermoanalyse, IR-Absorptionsspektren und Röntgenstreuung charakterisiert.

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Compounds of the rare earth elements with -benzoin oxime

Compounds of compositionLnCl₃·3 H₂ Box ^* (Ln=La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Er, Y) and LaBr₃·3H₂ Box were isolated and characterized by thermoanalysis, IR spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction.

     

Facile sonochemical synthesis and photoluminescent properties of lanthanide orthophosphate nanoparticles

Uniform lanthanide orthophosphate LnPO₄ (Ln=La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho) nanoparticles have been systematically synthesized via a facile, fast, efficient ultrasonic irradiation of inorganic salt aqueous solution under ambient conditions without any surfactant or template. X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), photoluminescence (PL) spectra as well as kinetic decays were employed to characterize the samples. The SEM and the TEM images show that the hexagonal structured lanthanide orthophosphate LnPO₄ (Ln=La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd) products have nanorod bundles morphology, while the tetragonal LnPO₄ (Ln=Tb, Dy, Ho) samples prepared under the same experimental conditions are composed of nanoparticles. HRTEM micrographs and SAED results prove that these nanostructures are polycrystalline in nature. The possible formation mechanism for LnPO₄ (Ln=La-Gd) nanorod bundles is proposed. Eu³⁺-doped LaPO₄ and Tb³⁺-doped CePO₄ samples were also prepared by using the same synthetic process, which exhibit an orange-red (Eu³⁺:⁵D₀-⁷F_{1, 2, 3, 4}) and green (Tb³⁺, ⁵D₄-⁷F_{3, 4, 5, 6}) emission, respectively.     

Heteroleptic polypyrazolylborate derivatives of the lanthanide ions. The synthesis of acetylacetonate derivatives and the molecular structures of [Ln{HB(C3N2H3)3}2{MeC(O)CHC(O)Me}] (Ln = Ce,Yb)

The air and moisture stable complexes [Ln{HB(C₃N₂H₃)₃}₂{MeC(O)CHC(O)Me}] (Ln = La, Ce, Pr, Nd, Sm, Eu, Gd, Tb, Dy, Ho, Yb, Lu, Y), have been prepared and characterized. The molecular structures of the compounds with Ln = Ce and Yb reveal that a substantial distortion of the coordination geometry found for Ce³⁺ is necessary to allow the ligand set to accommodate the smaller Yb³⁺ ion.