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

Abstract

Gadolinium oxy-carbonate and oxide nanostructures have been successfully obtained via simple non-isothermal heat treatment of gadolinium acetate precursor. Nanosheets of (GdO)(2)CO3 were developed as a consequence of heating the acetate precursor over the 400-500 degrees C range and these were stripped into thin lamellar nanorods of cubic Gd2O3 when the heat treatment was applied at the 600-800 degrees C range. The analysis of N-2 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)(2)CO3 and Gd2O3. H-2-TPR results revealed the refractory nature of Gd2O3 nanoparticles against reduction. Moreover, a possible reaction of H-2 and CO2 was suggested. The electrical conductivity has been measured during the decomposition of the gadolinium precursor and for the 500-800 degrees C pre-treated samples.