Synthesis and characterization of lanthanum oxide nanoparticles from thermolysis of nanostructured supramolecular compound

A new nanostructured La(III) supramolecular compound, [La(4,4′-bipy)(H2O)2 (NO3)4]·(4,4′-Hbipy) (1), 4,4′-bipy = 4,4′-bipyridine} was synthesized by sonochemical method. The nanostructure of 1 was investigated using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), IR spectroscopy and elemental analyses. The crystal structure of compound 1 was determined by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. The thermal stability of bulk compound and of nanosized particles was studied by thermal gravimetric (TG) and differential thermal analyses (DTA). Nanosized La2O3 was obtained by calcination of nanostructure of compound 1 at 700 °C.