Nanosheets-nanorods transformation during the non-isothermal decomposition of gadolinium acetate

• Published in: Ceramics international Vol. 46; no. 16; pp. 25467 - 25477
• Main Authors: Abu-Zied, Bahaa M., Obalová, Lucie, Pacultová, Kateřina, Karásková, Kateřina, Al-Fakeh, Maged S., Asiri, Abdullah M., Alminderej, Fahad M.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.11.2020
• Subjects: CO2 hydrogenation; Gadolinium acetate; Nanocrystalline Gd2O3; Nanosheets; Non-isothermal decomposition; Rare earth oxides; Nanosheets; Gadolinium acetate; Non-isothermal decomposition; CO2 hydrogenation; Rare earth oxides; Nanocrystalline Gd2O3
• ISSN: 0272-8842; 1873-3956
• DOI: 10.1016/j.ceramint.2020.07.017

Gadolinium oxy-carbonate and oxide nanostructures have been successfully obtained via simple non-isothermal heat treatment of gadolinium acetate precursor. Nanosheets of (GdO)2CO3 were developed as a consequence of heating the acetate precursor over the 400–500 °C range and these were stripped into thin lamellar nanorods of cubic Gd2O3 when the heat treatment was applied at the 600–800 °C range. The analysis of N2 adsorption isotherms revealed the microporosity of both phases and the BET calculated surface areas showed a gradual decrease with the pretreatment temperature of Gd2O3. Surface inspection using XPS indicated the presence of Gd in 3+ valence states at the surfaces of (GdO)2CO3 and Gd2O3. H2-TPR results revealed the refractory nature of Gd2O3 nanoparticles against reduction. Moreover, a possible reaction of H2 and CO2 was suggested. The electrical conductivity has been measured during the decomposition of the gadolinium precursor and for the 500–800 °C pre-treated samples.