Lanthanum Chloride

Rare Earth Chlorides

Lanthanum Chloride, with the chemical formula LaCl₃, is a crucial inorganic compound in the lanthanide salt family, valued for its high solubility, stable chemical behavior, and wide applicability across industrial, laboratory, and technological fields. As a typical lanthanum(III) salt, it maintains a consistent +3 oxidation state for lanthanum, which contributes to its predictable reactivity and reliability in various processes—distinguishing it from some transition metal salts that exhibit variable valence.

Commercially, Lanthanum Chloride is available in multiple grades to suit different application needs. High-Purity Grade, with a purity of ≥99.99% (4N) and ultra-high purity variants reaching 99.999% (5N), is designed for advanced sectors like electronics, optics, and materials science. This grade undergoes rigorous purification to eliminate trace impurities, including other rare earth metals (e.g., cerium, neodymium), heavy metals (e.g., iron, copper), and anions (e.g., sulfate, nitrate), as even minimal contaminants can disrupt the performance of high-precision devices such as semiconductors or optical coatings. Technical Grade, with a purity range of 95.0%–99.0%, prioritizes cost-effectiveness for industrial uses like catalyst preparation, metallurgy, and wastewater treatment. Reagent Grade, meeting ≥99.0% purity standards, is used in laboratories for analytical chemistry, research, and small-scale synthesis, ensuring accurate and reproducible experimental results. At standard temperature and pressure, Lanthanum Chloride typically exists as a white to off-white crystalline powder or, in its hydrated form (e.g., LaCl₃·7H₂O), as colorless or pale white crystals. Its light appearance stems from the weak absorption of visible light by its ionic crystal structure, making it easy to identify and handle in practical scenarios.

Physically, Lanthanum Chloride exhibits traits that align with its diverse applications. The anhydrous form (LaCl₃) is a white crystalline powder with a typical particle size of 100–300 mesh, facilitating rapid dissolution in water and organic solvents like ethanol or methanol. It has a molecular weight of 245.26 g/mol (anhydrous) and 373.38 g/mol (heptahydrate, LaCl₃·7H₂O). The anhydrous form boasts a high melting point of approximately 860°C and a boiling point of around 1810°C, making it suitable for high-temperature processes such as molten salt synthesis. Its bulk density is about 3.84 g/cm³ (anhydrous), providing structural stability in solid-state applications. A key physical property of Lanthanum Chloride is its high solubility: the anhydrous form dissolves readily in water (approximately 100 g/100 mL at 20°C), forming clear, colorless solutions—this solubility is critical for processes like wet chemical synthesis and aqueous-based catalysis. The hydrated form is even more soluble, though it tends to lose water of crystallization when exposed to low humidity, converting gradually to the anhydrous form. Additionally, Lanthanum Chloride has moderate hygroscopicity, especially in its anhydrous state, as it readily absorbs moisture from the air to form hydrated crystals, which requires careful storage to maintain its desired form.

Chemically, Lanthanum Chloride is characterized by its stability and typical ionic salt behavior. As a lanthanide(III) chloride, it dissociates completely in aqueous solutions into La³⁺ and Cl⁻ ions, enabling it to participate in various ionic reactions. It is stable under normal conditions, with no tendency to oxidize or reduce, but it reacts with strong bases (e.g., sodium hydroxide) to form insoluble lanthanum hydroxide (La(OH)₃) precipitates— a reaction widely used in analytical chemistry to separate lanthanum from other ions. For example, the reaction with sodium hydroxide follows: LaCl₃ + 3NaOH → La(OH)₃↓ + 3NaCl. Lanthanum Chloride also reacts with carbonate salts (e.g., sodium carbonate) to form lanthanum carbonate (La₂(CO₃)₃), another insoluble product. When heated to high temperatures (above 600°C) in the presence of oxygen, it undergoes partial hydrolysis to form lanthanum oxychloride (LaOCl), a reaction that must be avoided in applications requiring pure Lanthanum Chloride. Furthermore, it serves as a precursor for other lanthanum compounds: reacting with nitric acid yields lanthanum nitrate, while reacting with oxalic acid produces lanthanum oxalate—both important intermediates in lanthanum material synthesis.

The industrial production of Lanthanum Chloride primarily uses lanthanum-rich raw materials, such as purified lanthanum oxide (La₂O₃) or lanthanum-containing rare earth concentrates. The most common production method is the acidolysis process, which involves three key steps. First, raw material preparation: if using lanthanum oxide, it is crushed into fine powder (100–200 mesh) to increase the contact area with acid; if using rare earth concentrates, they undergo preliminary purification to remove silica, thorium, and other impurities, ensuring a high lanthanum content. Second, acid reaction: the prepared raw material is mixed with concentrated hydrochloric acid (HCl) in a reaction vessel, with a molar ratio of La₂O₃ to HCl of approximately 1:6. The reaction is carried out at 80–100°C under stirring, and the chemical equation for lanthanum oxide reacting with hydrochloric acid is: La₂O₃ + 6HCl → 2LaCl₃ + 3H₂O. This reaction is exothermic, so the temperature is controlled by cooling to prevent excessive evaporation of hydrochloric acid. Third, purification and crystallization: after the reaction is complete, the resulting solution is filtered to remove undissolved impurities. The filtrate is concentrated under reduced pressure at 60–80°C to increase the Lanthanum Chloride concentration to 40%–50%. The concentrated solution is then cooled to 0–5°C for crystallization, yielding heptahydrate crystals (LaCl₃·7H₂O). For anhydrous lanthanum chloride, the heptahydrate is dried at 120–150°C to remove surface moisture, then further heated to 250–300°C under a dry hydrogen chloride (HCl) gas atmosphere to decompose the hydrated crystals and prevent hydrolysis, ultimately obtaining anhydrous Lanthanum Chloride. The product is then crushed, screened to the desired particle size, and packaged according to grade specifications.

Lanthanum Chloride’s applications span multiple industries, driven by its solubility and reactivity. In the electronics industry, high-purity anhydrous Lanthanum Chloride is used as a dopant in semiconductor manufacturing: adding it to silicon wafers modifies the electrical properties of the semiconductor, improving its performance in integrated circuits. It is also a precursor for lanthanum-based thin films, deposited via chemical vapor deposition (CVD) to form dielectric layers in capacitors. In the catalyst industry, it acts as a catalyst or catalyst support: in automotive exhaust systems, it enhances the activity of noble metal catalysts (e.g., platinum) for NOₓ reduction; in petrochemistry, it catalyzes the cracking of hydrocarbons and the isomerization of alkanes. In materials science, it is a key component in molten salt electrolysis for lanthanum metal production—molten Lanthanum Chloride mixed with other chlorides (e.g., sodium chloride) lowers the melting point, enabling efficient electrolysis to extract metallic lanthanum. In laboratory settings, Reagent Grade Lanthanum Chloride is used in analytical chemistry for the quantitative determination of sulfate ions (via precipitation as lanthanum sulfate) and in research on lanthanide chemistry, serving as a model compound for studying lanthanide ion behavior. Additionally, it finds use in wastewater treatment: La³⁺ ions in Lanthanum Chloride solutions react with phosphate ions to form insoluble lanthanum phosphate, effectively removing phosphorus from wastewater and preventing eutrophication.

Safety-wise, Lanthanum Chloride has low acute toxicity but requires proper handling to avoid potential hazards. Its dust or solution can irritate the skin and eyes: direct contact may cause redness, itching, or mild burns. Inhalation of dust can irritate the respiratory tract, leading to coughing or shortness of breath. To mitigate risks, operators should wear nitrile gloves (chemical-resistant), safety goggles, a lab coat, and a dust mask when handling the powder. When preparing solutions, work in a fume hood to avoid inhaling acid fumes from hydrochloric acid residues. Storage should be in a cool, dry, well-ventilated area, using airtight containers to prevent moisture absorption (for anhydrous forms) or caking (for hydrated forms). It should be stored separately from strong bases and oxidizing agents to avoid unwanted reactions. In case of skin contact, rinse with plenty of water for 15 minutes; for eye contact, flush with water and seek medical attention if irritation persists. If inhaled, move to fresh air and rest; if ingested, do not induce vomiting and consult a doctor immediately. When stored properly (15–25°C, relative humidity<50%), anhydrous Lanthanum Chloride has a shelf life of 2–3 years, while the hydrated form has a shelf life of 1–2 years. Expired products may show reduced solubility or increased impurity levels and should be tested before use.

Descriptive:  WNX employs advanced automated production technology and uses high-quality raw materials to produce high-qualityLanthanum Chloride.

Key Features:

High Purity:Lanthanum Chloride contains no impurities from rare earth elements (such as iron, calcium, sodium), and the impurity content is low.

Good Solubility:Lanthanum Chloride can dissolve rapidly in water and strong acids.

Consistency: The strict batch management in the production ofLanthanum Chloride ensures stable quality for industrial large-scale production.

Chemical industry catalysts:Lanthanum Chloride is a key raw material for preparing petroleum cracking (FCC) catalysts, which can effectively enhance the efficiency of converting heavy crude oil into high-octane gasoline and diesel. It can also serve as a mild Lewis acid catalyst and be used in organic synthesis reactions, such as catalyzing aldehydes to form acetaldehydes.

Phosphorus remover for ponds:Lanthanum Chloride can be used in water treatment. By effectively precipitating phosphates, it helps solve the problem of water eutrophication. It performs exceptionally well in removing anionic pollutants.

Batteries and energy materials: As a raw material for hydrogen storage battery materials,Lanthanum Chloride has significant applications in the energy field. It is also a precursor for preparing metallic lanthanum and other lanthanide functional materials.

Chemical synthesis intermediates:Lanthanum Chloride is an important precursor for synthesizing other lanthanide compounds (such as metallic lanthanum and lanthanide oxides), and plays a crucial role in the extraction of rare earth metals and the preparation of functional materials.

1.Neutral labels/packaging (jumbo bag of 1.000kg each net),Two bags per pallet.

2.Vacuum-sealed, then wrapped in air cushion bags, and finally packed into iron drums.

Drum: Steel drums (open-top, 45L capacity, dimensions: φ365mm × 460mm / inner diameter × outer height).

Weight per Drum: 50 kg

Palletization: 18 drums per pallet (total 900 kg/pallet).

Transport Class: Maritime transportation / Air transportation

Custom packaging available upon request