Fine Crystalline Spherical Cerium Carbonate

Rare Earth Carbonates

Fine Crystalline Spherical Cerium Carbonate, chemically denoted as Ce₂(CO₃)₃ (predominantly cerium(III) carbonate, the stable trivalent form), is a high-performance variant of cerium carbonate distinguished by two core structural traits: ultra-fine crystalline grains (typically 10–50 nm) and uniform spherical particle morphology (particle diameter ranging from 1–10 μm). Unlike standard cerium carbonate (which has irregular particle shapes and larger crystalline grains of 100–500 nm), this variant undergoes precision-controlled synthesis to achieve both fine crystallinity and spherical geometry—traits that deliver exceptional flowability, uniform dispersion, and high specific surface area (20–50 m²/g). Complemented by high base purity (≥99.99% for industrial use, ≥99.999% for high-tech applications), it retains cerium(III)’s inherent stability (+3 oxidation state) and low aqueous solubility, making it a critical material for high-precision applications such as advanced coatings, catalyst supports, and optoelectronic thin films—where particle shape, crystallinity, and dispersion directly impact product performance.

Commercially, Fine Crystalline Spherical Cerium Carbonate is categorized by particle diameter, crystalline grain size, and purity to match application requirements. The Industrial Spherical Grade (particle diameter 5–10 μm, crystalline grains 30–50 nm, purity ≥99.99%) is used in high-uniformity ceramic coatings and bulk catalyst supports, where flowability and dispersion simplify processing. The High-Precision Spherical Grade (particle diameter 2–5 μm, crystalline grains 15–30 nm, purity ≥99.999%) targets optoelectronic and semiconductor applications, including thin-film deposition precursors and quantum dot synthesis—where narrow particle size distribution and fine crystallinity ensure uniform film growth and optical performance. The Ultra-Fine Spherical Grade (particle diameter 1–2 μm, crystalline grains 10–15 nm, purity ≥99.999%) is a niche grade for biomedical coatings and microelectronic devices, requiring sub-micron spherical particles to conform to complex surfaces and minimize defects. At standard temperature and pressure, Fine Crystalline Spherical Cerium Carbonate exists as a white, free-flowing powder with a slight pearlescent sheen—its spherical morphology eliminates agglomeration common in irregular fine powders, and its fine crystallinity ensures consistent chemical reactivity, making it easy to identify via microscopic inspection.

Physically, Fine Crystalline Spherical Cerium Carbonate exhibits traits optimized for its dual structural features. It has a molecular weight of 460.25 g/mol (identical to standard cerium carbonate) but differs significantly in physical properties due to its spherical shape and fine crystallinity. Bulk density is tightly controlled at 1.8–2.2 g/cm³ (lower than irregular fine powders of 2.5–2.7 g/cm³) due to efficient spherical packing, enhancing flowability and reducing dust generation during handling. A defining physical property is its high specific surface area (20–50 m²/g), driven by fine crystalline grains—far higher than standard cerium carbonate (5–10 m²/g)—which boosts reactivity and adsorption capacity for catalyst and coating applications. Its solubility in strong acids (e.g., nitric acid) is enhanced (≥99.9% dissolution efficiency) due to increased surface contact, with no undissolved residues from agglomeration. Thermal stability is also tailored: it decomposes uniformly at 300–350°C (slightly lower than standard cerium carbonate due to fine crystallinity) to form spherical cerium(III) oxide (Ce₂O₃) with retained spherical morphology—critical for applications where post-decomposition particle shape is important. The spherical particles exhibit minimal hygroscopicity (<0.05% moisture absorption at 60% humidity) due to reduced inter-particle contact points, preventing agglomeration and maintaining flowability.

Chemically, Fine Crystalline Spherical Cerium Carbonate retains cerium(III) carbonate’s core reactivity but with enhanced uniformity and efficiency due to its structural traits. It is stable in air and inert to anhydrous organic solvents (e.g., ethanol, acetonitrile), with reactivity limited to strong acids and high temperatures. When reacted with high-purity acids (used in electronics and optics), its spherical shape and fine crystallinity ensure uniform reaction kinetics—avoiding localized over-reaction common in irregular particles. For example, with high-purity nitric acid: Ce₂(CO₃)₃ + 6HNO₃ → 2Ce(NO₃)₃ + 3CO₂↑ + 3H₂O, the reaction proceeds evenly across the spherical surface, producing consistent cerium nitrate solutions for thin-film deposition. Unlike standard cerium carbonate, it exhibits no agglomeration-induced reactivity variations: every particle has identical surface area and crystallinity, ensuring batch-to-batch consistency. Its fine crystallinity also enhances thermal decomposition uniformity, producing spherical Ce₂O₃ with no shape distortion—critical for catalyst supports where pore structure and particle geometry affect catalytic activity.

The industrial production of Fine Crystalline Spherical Cerium Carbonate requires precision-controlled synthesis to achieve both fine crystallinity and spherical morphology, using a modified precipitation process with shape-directing agents. The process involves five core steps. First, high-purity raw material preparation: ultra-pure cerium(III) nitrate solution (Ce(NO₃)₃, purity ≥99.999%, chloride ≤0.5 ppm) is prepared by dissolving high-purity cerium(III) oxide in ultra-pure nitric acid, filtered to remove impurities. Second, shape-controlled precipitation: the cerium(III) nitrate solution is mixed with a dilute ammonium carbonate ((NH₄)₂CO₃) solution in a stirred reactor, with the addition of a shape-directing agent (e.g., polyvinylpyrrolidone, PVP, ≤1% by weight) to inhibit irregular growth and promote spherical nucleation. The reaction temperature is controlled at 25–35°C, and stirring speed at 500–800 rpm to ensure uniform particle formation. Third, crystalline grain refinement: after initial precipitation, the suspension is heated to 60–80°C for 2–3 hours (aging step) to promote fine crystalline grain growth (10–50 nm) while retaining spherical shape. Fourth, purification and washing: the spherical particles are filtered and washed repeatedly with ultra-pure water (18 MΩ·cm) to remove residual salts and shape-directing agents, until rinse water conductivity ≤10 μS/cm. Fifth, drying and finishing: the wet particles are dried in a vacuum oven at 80–100°C to avoid particle sintering, then screened to remove any oversized agglomerates (≤0.1% by weight), resulting in a free-flowing spherical powder. For ultra-fine grades, an additional air classification step is used to narrow particle size distribution (±10% of target diameter).

Fine Crystalline Spherical Cerium Carbonate’s applications focus on high-precision fields leveraging its shape and crystallinity. In advanced coatings, Industrial Spherical Grade (5–10 μm) is used in ceramic thermal barrier coatings for aerospace components: spherical particles ensure uniform coating thickness (±5% variation) and low porosity (<5%), enhancing thermal insulation and corrosion resistance. In optoelectronics, High-Precision Spherical Grade (2–5 μm) is a precursor for cerium-doped optical coatings: fine crystallinity ensures consistent light scattering, and spherical shape enables uniform film deposition via spray coating or spin coating—critical for anti-reflective coatings in high-power lasers. In catalysis, it acts as a high-surface-area support for noble metal catalysts (e.g., platinum) in fuel cells: spherical shape ensures uniform catalyst loading (±2% variation), and fine crystallinity provides abundant active sites for oxygen reduction reactions. In biomedical engineering, Ultra-Fine Spherical Grade (1–2 μm) is used in bioceramic coatings for implants: sub-micron spherical particles conform to implant surfaces, and fine crystallinity enhances adhesion to metal substrates, reducing coating delamination. Additionally, it is used in laboratory research for studying particle shape effects on reaction kinetics and as a reference material for spherical particle characterization.

Safety-wise, Fine Crystalline Spherical Cerium Carbonate poses minimal risks, with advantages from its spherical shape. While it is a fine powder, its spherical morphology reduces dust generation (compared to irregular fine powders) due to better flowability and reduced inter-particle friction. Operators should wear nitrile gloves, safety goggles, and a low-linting lab coat when handling, and work in a well-ventilated area to avoid minor inhalation risks. Storage must be in airtight, moisture-proof containers (e.g., Teflon-lined polyethylene) in a humidity-controlled environment (15–25°C,<50% humidity) to prevent moisture-induced agglomeration. Unlike irregular fine powders, it does not require anti-caking agents (which may introduce impurities), maintaining purity. In case of skin contact, rinse with water for 15 minutes; eye contact requires flushing with water and medical attention if irritation persists. When stored properly, Industrial Grade has a shelf life of 2–3 years, High-Precision Grade 1.5–2 years, and Ultra-Fine Grade 1–1.5 years (more sensitive to sintering). Expired products are identified by reduced flowability (agglomeration) or increased crystalline grain size (detected via X-ray diffraction), and should be tested for performance before use.

Descriptive:  WNX employs advanced automated production technology and uses high-quality raw materials to produce high-quality Fine Crystalline Spherical Cerium Carbonate .

Key Features:

High Purity:Fine Crystalline Spherical Cerium Carbonate contains no impurities from rare earth elements (such as iron, calcium, sodium), and the impurity content is low.

Good Solubility:Fine Crystalline Spherical Cerium Carbonate can dissolve rapidly in water and strong acids.

Consistency: The strict batch management in the production ofFine Crystalline Spherical Cerium Carbonate ensures stable quality for industrial large-scale production.

Chemical industry catalyst: Fine crystalline spherical cerium oxide has a high specific surface area and a regular spherical morphology, making it an excellent precursor for the preparation of efficient automotive exhaust purification catalysts and petroleum catalytic cracking (FCC) catalysts. Its uniform particle size is conducive to improving the efficiency and stability of the catalytic reaction.

High-end optical polishing material:Fine Crystalline Spherical is the key precursor for manufacturing high-performance cerium oxide polishing powder. Its spherical particle shape can effectively reduce scratches during the chemical mechanical polishing (CMP) process, achieving an ultra-smooth surface (roughness Ra < 0.5 nm). It is particularly suitable for polishing of precision optical glass and semiconductor wafers (such as shallow trench isolation STI process).

Electronic Ceramics and Functional Materials:Fine Crystalline Spherical is used as additives to prepare multilayer ceramic capacitors (MLCC), special ceramics, and fluorescent materials. Their fine spherical structure helps improve the density, thermal stability, and dielectric properties of ceramics, and can also be used to synthesize cerium-doped luminescent materials.

Chemical synthesis intermediate: Through high-temperature calcination,Fine Crystalline Spherical can be transformed into high-purity cerium oxide (CeO₂), maintaining its spherical morphology. This characteristic makes it of great value in the synthesis of energy materials (such as electrolytes for solid oxide fuel cells), ultraviolet absorption materials, and nano-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