Vapor phase composition as an indicator of thermal stability of the Sm, Eu, and Yb chlorides

• The Sm, Eu, and Yb tri- and dichlorides were investigated by KEMS.
• Mass spectra and ionization efficiency functions were measured.
• The vapor phase composition was found to be multicomponent in all the cases.
• The high temperature behavior of the samples was traced.

The Sm, Eu, and Yb tri- and dichlorides were investigated by Knudsen effusion mass spectrometry. It was found out by the analysis of mass spectra and ionization efficiency curves that the vapor composition is complex due to the partial high temperature decomposition/disproportionation of the samples. Up to five vapor species were identified for both LnCl3 (LnCl3, LnCl2, Ln2Cl4, Ln2Cl5, and Ln2Cl6) and LnCl2 (LnCl3, LnCl2, LnCl, Ln, and Ln2Cl4). The quantitative evaluation of vapor composition was made. It indicates that the disproportionation of SmCl2 and EuCl2 is negligible in the temperature range studied whereas that of YbCl2 and the decomposition of SmCl3 and YbCl3 cannot be neglected.

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