3D bundles of self-assembled lanthanum hydroxide nanorods via a rapid microwave-assisted route

Three-dimensional (3D) bundles of self-assembled lanthanum hydroxide nanorods with average crystallite size of about 20 nm were fabricated via a facile and rapid microwave-assisted chemical route. The obtained material was characterized with X-ray diffractometry (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) investigations. The obtained nanorods have average diameter of about 115 nm and average length of about 730 nm. Self-assembly of primary La(OH)3 nanoparticles and their subsequent anisotropic growth along 〈2 0 0〉 direction, was proposed to be the mechanism for the formation of 3D bundles of nanorods, using TEM images. The thermal behavior of the obtained La(OH)3 powder was also investigated by differential thermal analysis and thermal gravimetric (DTA/TG) method.