Synthesis and characterization of samarium oxide nanocrystallites

Abstract

Lanthanide oxide nanocrystallites have gained a lot of attention due to their diverse use for potential applications and from this reason it is very important to find a suitable preparation method that would be economically inexpensive and easy to implement. The article describes preparation of samarium oxide nanocystallites (nano Sm2O3) via thermal decomposition of a complex formed by the selected default salt Sm(NO3)(3)center dot 6H(2)O and glycine. Decomposition of the complex occurs at temperatures about (250 +/- 10)degrees C. Ultra-fine white powder of the samarium oxide nanocrystallites was obtained via this method. The resulting nanocrystallites were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction analysis, which revealed the size of the samarium oxide nanocrystallites of 11 nm. Morphology of the samarium oxide nanocrystallites was examined by scanning electron microscopy. The elemental composition of the product was confirmed by EDS analysis.