Anhydrous Lanthanum Chloride

Rare Earth Chlorides

anhydrous lanthanum chloride, chemically denoted as LaCl₃ (without 结晶 water), is a high-purity inorganic compound in the lanthanide chloride family, distinguished by its water-free composition, exceptional thermal stability, and high solubility in polar solvents. Unlike its hydrated counterpart (e.g., LaCl₃・7H₂O), which contains water of crystallization, anhydrous Lanthanum Chloride undergoes rigorous dehydration processes to eliminate all moisture, making it ideal for applications sensitive to water—such as high-temperature molten salt synthesis, semiconductor manufacturing, and organic catalysis. As a stable lanthanum (III) salt, it maintains a consistent +3 oxidation state, ensuring predictable reactivity and reliability in processes where water-induced side reactions or hydrolysis must be avoided.

Commercially, Anhydrous Lanthanum Chloride is available in grades tailored to strict purity and moisture requirements. High-Purity Grade, with a purity of ≥99.99% (4N) and ultra-high purity variants reaching 99.999% (5N), is engineered for advanced fields like electronics, thin-film deposition, and high-performance batteries. This grade undergoes multi-step purification (including solvent extraction, ion exchange, and high-temperature dehydration under dry HCl atmosphere) to eliminate trace impurities—such as other rare earth metals (lanthanum, neodymium), heavy metals (iron, copper), anions (sulfate, nitrate), and residual moisture (typically<0.1%). Even minimal moisture or contaminants can disrupt the performance of precision devices (e.g., semiconductor wafers, solid oxide fuel cells), so strict quality control is critical. Technical Grade, with a purity range of 95.0%–99.0% and moisture content <0.5%, prioritizes cost-efficiency for industrial applications like metallurgical flux, catalyst precursors, and ceramic sintering aids. Reagent Grade, meeting ≥99.0% purity and <0.2% moisture standards, is used in laboratories for anhydrous organic synthesis, lanthanide coordination research, and moisture-sensitive analytical procedures. At standard temperature and pressure, Anhydrous Lanthanum Chloride exists as a white, free-flowing crystalline powder with no visible clumping—its uniform texture and pale color (resulting from weak visible light absorption by its ionic crystal structure) simplify handling and visual inspection in industrial and laboratory settings.

Physically, Anhydrous Lanthanum Chloride exhibits traits optimized for water-sensitive and high-temperature applications. It has a molecular weight of 245.26 g/mol (distinct from the heptahydrate’s 373.38 g/mol) and a high bulk density of approximately 3.84 g/cm³, ensuring easy dosing and uniform mixing in dry formulations. Its particle size is tightly controlled, typically ranging from 100 to 300 mesh—finer grades (200–300 mesh) are used for applications requiring high surface area (e.g., catalyst supports), while coarser grades (100–150 mesh) suit molten salt electrolysis. A defining physical property is its high solubility in anhydrous polar solvents: it dissolves readily in anhydrous ethanol, methanol, and acetonitrile (solubility ~80 g/100 mL in anhydrous ethanol at 20°C) and in water (solubility ~100 g/100 mL at 20°C) without residual undissolved particles. Unlike hydrated Lanthanum Chloride, it exhibits only mild hygroscopicity when stored in sealed containers, though it will gradually absorb moisture from the air to form lower hydrates (e.g., LaCl₃·3H₂O) if exposed to humidity >50%, leading to clumping and reduced performance. Its thermal stability is exceptional: it has a melting point of ~860°C and a boiling point of ~1810°C, far exceeding that of hydrated forms (which decompose below 200°C), making it suitable for high-temperature processes like molten salt electrolysis and ceramic sintering.

Chemically, Anhydrous Lanthanum Chloride is defined by its stability and water-free reactivity. As a lanthanide(III) chloride, it dissociates completely in anhydrous polar solvents or molten states into La³⁺ and Cl⁻ ions, enabling participation in moisture-sensitive ionic reactions. It is stable under dry conditions but undergoes hydrolysis in the presence of water to form insoluble lanthanum hydroxide (La(OH)₃) and hydrochloric acid (HCl) if not controlled—this is why it is critical to use anhydrous solvents and dry environments when handling it. When heated to temperatures above 600°C in the presence of oxygen, it undergoes partial oxidation to form lanthanum oxychloride (LaOCl), a reaction that must be avoided in applications requiring pure LaCl₃ (e.g., semiconductor doping). It reacts vigorously with strong bases (e.g., sodium hydroxide) to form La(OH)₃ precipitates (LaCl₃ + 3NaOH → La(OH)₃↓ + 3NaCl) and with carbonate salts to form lanthanum carbonate (La₂(CO₃)₃), reactions widely used in analytical chemistry for lanthanum separation. Unlike some transition metal chlorides, it is not a strong oxidizer or reducer, reducing the risk of hazardous reactions with organic compounds—a key advantage in anhydrous organic synthesis.

The industrial production of Anhydrous Lanthanum Chloride primarily uses high-purity lanthanum oxide (La₂O₃, purity ≥99.9%) as the raw material, following a three-step process optimized for moisture removal. First, acid dissolution: crushed La₂O₃ (100–200 mesh) is reacted with concentrated hydrochloric acid (HCl, 30%–37% purity) in a dry reaction vessel at 80–100°C, with a molar ratio of La₂O₃ to HCl of 1:6. The reaction (La₂O₃ + 6HCl → 2LaCl₃ + 3H₂O) is exothermic, so temperature is controlled via cooling to prevent HCl evaporation. The resulting lanthanum chloride solution is filtered to remove undissolved impurities (e.g., silica). Second, preliminary dehydration: the filtrate is concentrated under reduced pressure at 60–80°C to a 50%–60% concentration, then cooled to 0–5°C to crystallize heptahydrate (LaCl₃・7H₂O). The crystals are filtered and dried at 120–150°C to remove surface moisture, forming low-hydrate LaCl₃ (e.g., LaCl₃・2H₂O). Third, deep dehydration: the low-hydrate LaCl₃ is heated to 250–300°C in a sealed reactor under a continuous flow of dry HCl gas. The HCl atmosphere prevents hydrolysis (by suppressing OH⁻ formation) and drives off remaining 结晶 water, yielding anhydrous LaCl₃ with moisture content<0.1%. The product is cooled under dry nitrogen, crushed to the desired particle size, and packaged in airtight, moisture-proof containers (e.g., aluminum-lined polyethylene bags) to maintain anhydrous conditions.

Anhydrous Lanthanum Chloride’s applications focus on water-sensitive and high-temperature fields. In the electronics industry, high-purity anhydrous LaCl₃ is used as a dopant in semiconductor manufacturing: it is dissolved in anhydrous solvents and deposited onto silicon wafers to modify electrical conductivity, improving integrated circuit performance. It is also a precursor for lanthanum-based thin films (e.g., La₂O₃ dielectrics) via chemical vapor deposition (CVD), where its anhydrous nature ensures uniform film growth without moisture-induced defects. In materials science, it is a key component in molten salt electrolysis for metallic lanthanum production: mixed with anhydrous sodium chloride (NaCl) to lower the melting point to ~600°C, it enables efficient electrolysis to extract high-purity lanthanum (used in aerospace alloys). In anhydrous organic synthesis, it acts as a Lewis acid catalyst for reactions like Friedel-Crafts alkylation and esterification, where its water-free composition prevents catalyst deactivation and side reactions (e.g., hydrolysis of esters). In the battery industry, it is added to molten salt electrolytes for solid oxide fuel cells (SOFCs) to enhance ionic conductivity and thermal stability, critical for high-temperature energy conversion. Additionally, it is used in laboratory research as a model compound for studying lanthanide ion behavior in anhydrous systems and for calibrating analytical instruments (e.g., inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, ICP-MS).

Safety-wise, Anhydrous Lanthanum Chloride requires careful handling to avoid moisture exposure and chemical irritation. Its powder can irritate the skin and eyes: direct contact may cause redness or mild burns, especially if the powder has absorbed moisture (forming HCl). Inhalation of dust can irritate the respiratory tract, leading to coughing or shortness of breath. When in contact with water, it releases heat (though not violently), and prolonged exposure to air causes clumping. To ensure safety, operators should wear nitrile gloves (moisture-resistant), safety goggles, a lab coat, and a dust mask when handling the powder. All operations (e.g., weighing, dissolving) should be done in a dry glove box or fume hood with low humidity (<30%). Storage must be in airtight, moisture-proof containers in a cool (15–25°C), dry (<50% humidity) area, away from water, strong bases, and oxidizing agents. In case of skin contact, rinse with dry ethanol (to avoid hydrolysis) then water for 15 minutes; for eye contact, flush with water and seek medical attention. If inhaled, move to fresh air and rest; if ingested, do not induce vomiting and consult a doctor. When stored properly, anhydrous Lanthanum Chloride has a shelf life of 2–3 years. Expired products may show clumping (indicating moisture absorption) or reduced solubility and should be tested for moisture content before use.

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

Key Features:

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

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

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

Chemical industrial catalyst: In the petrochemical industry, anhydrous lanthanum chloride is a key raw material for preparing fluid catalytic 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 for organic synthesis reactions, such as catalyzing aldehydes to form acetaldehydes. Additionally, it is used in the catalytic process of oxidizing methane to chloroform.

Pond Phosphorus Remover: Due to its chemical properties, lanthanum chloride can effectively remove phosphate from water through precipitation in water treatment, which helps solve the problem of water eutrophication.

Batteries and energy materials: Anhydrous lanthanum chloride is an important precursor for preparing metallic lanthanum, and metallic lanthanum is a key raw material for hydrogen storage alloys, which are widely used in energy storage fields such as nickel-metal hydride batteries. It is also a basic raw material for synthesizing other lanthanide functional materials.

Chemical synthesis intermediates: As a key starting material, anhydrous lanthanum chloride is widely used in the synthesis of other lanthanum compounds, such as lanthanum oxide, various lanthanum salts, etc. In biochemistry research, it is also used to block calcium ion channels. After doping with cerium (Ce), it can be used as a scintillator material for radiation detection.

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