La(OH)3 and La2O3 nanospindles prepared by template-free direct electrodeposition followed by heat-treatment

•La(OH)3 nanospindles were prepared by base electrogeneration from nitrate bath.•Heat-treatment of hydroxide nanospindles resulted the larger oxide nanospindles.•Mechanism of the deposit formation during the electrodeposition was proposed.•Thermal behavior of the deposit during the heat treatment was explained in detail.

Base electrogeneration was conducted on the steel cathode from 0.005 M La(NO3)3 bath at the conditions of i=2 mA cm−2, T=60 °C and t=25 min for deposition of lanthanum hydroxide. The prepared hydroxide was then heat-treated at 600 °C for 3 h in dry air atmosphere. The physicochemical changes of the hydroxide deposit on heating were investigated by DSC-TG analysis. The structural characterizations by XRD, FT-IR and morphological observations via SEM showed that the well-crystallized and spindle-like nanostructures of La(OH)3 and La2O3 have been prepared. This work showed that nanospindles of La(OH)3 and La2O3 are easily achievable by cathodic deposition followed by heat-treatment.