Nanoparticles of rare earth oxides

• US 7,229,600 B2
• Filed: 12/04/2003
• Issued: 06/12/2007
• Est. Priority Date: 01/31/2003
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: PPG Industries Ohio Incorporated (Nouryon BV)
• Original Assignee: NanoProducts Corporation (Nouryon BV)
• Inventors: Yadav, Tapesh
• Primary Examiner(s): Vanoy, Timothy C.
• Application Number:
  US10/726,512
• Publication Number:
  US 20070104629A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,286 Days
• Field of Search: 423/21.1, 423/263, 501/11, 501/1, 501/126, 106/400, 106/3, 502/302, 252/301.4 R, 257/414, 427/58, 977/773, 977/775, 977/777, 977/811
• US Class Current: 423/263
• CPC Class Codes: B82Y 30/00 Nanotechnology for materials or surface science, e.g. nanocomposites
• CPC Class Codes: C01F 17/218 Yttrium oxides or hydroxides
• CPC Class Codes: C01F 17/224 Oxides or hydroxides of lanthanides
• CPC Class Codes: C01F 17/229 Lanthanum oxides or hydroxides
• CPC Class Codes: C01F 17/235 Cerium oxides or hydroxides
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2002/52 containing elements as dopants
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2002/60 Compounds characterised by their crystallite size
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2002/84 by UV- or VIS- data
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2004/62 Submicrometer sized, i.e. from 0.1-1 micrometer
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2004/64 Nanometer sized, i.e. from 1-100 nanometer
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2006/12 Surface area
• CPC Class Codes: C01P 2006/60 Optical properties, e.g. expressed in CIELAB-values
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/773 Nanoparticle, i.e. structure having three dimensions of 100 nm or less
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/775 Nanosized powder or flake, e.g. nanosized catalyst
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/777 Metallic powder or flake
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 977/811 Of specified metal oxide composition, e.g. conducting or semiconducting compositions such as ITO, ZnOx

Abstract

Rare earth compositions comprising nanoparticles, methods of making nanoparticles, and methods of using nanoparticles are described. The compositions of the nanomaterials discussed may include scandium (Sc), yttrium (Y), lanthanum (La), cerium (Ce), praseodymium (Pr), neodymium (Nd), promethium (Pm), samarium (Sm), europium (Eu), gadolinium (Gd), terbium (Tb), dysprosium (Dy), holmium (Ho), erbium (Er), thulium (Tm), ytterbium (Yb), and lutetium (Lu). The nanoparticles can be used to make organometallics, nitrates, and hydroxides. The nanoparticles can be used in a variety of applications, such as pigments, catalysts, polishing agents, coatings, electroceramics, catalysts, optics, phosphors, and detectors.

Claims

1. A method for preparing a composition of matter containing at least one rare earth element comprising:

providing a first composition which comprises nanoparticles comprising at least one rare earth element; and

reacting the first composition with an organic liquid or nitric acid wherein the reaction creates a second composition comprising at least one rare earth element that is different from the first composition.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein the second composition of matter is an inorganic compound.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein the second composition of matter is an organic compound.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one rare earth element is scandium (Sc).

5. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one rare earth element is yttrium (Y).

6. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one rare earth element is lanthanum (La).

7. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one rare earth element is cerium (Ce).

8. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one rare earth element is praseodymium (Pr).

9. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one rare earth element is selected from neodymium (Nd), samarium (Sm), gadolinium (Gd), terbium (Tb), dysprosium (Dy), holmium (Ho), erbium (Er), thulium (Tm), ytterbium (Yb), and lutetium (Lu).

10. The method of claim 1, wherein the at least one rare earth element is europium (Eu).

11. The method of claim 1, wherein the second composition of matter comprises nanoparticles.

12. The method of claim 1, wherein the second composition of matter comprises a dispersion.

13. The method of claim 1, wherein the surface area of nanoparticles is greater than 25 m²/gm.

14. The method of claim 1, wherein the second composition of matter comprises submicron particles.

15. The method of claim 1, wherein the second composition of matter comprises at least one precursor.

16. The method of claim 1, wherein the first composition comprises at least one oxide.

17. The method of claim 1, wherein the first composition comprises at least one carbonate.

18. The method of claim 1, wherein the first composition comprises at least one nitrate.

19. The method of claim 1, wherein the first composition comprises at least one hydroxide.

20. The method of claim 1, wherein the second composition different from the first composition comprises nanoparticles.

21. The method of claim 1, wherein the organic liquid is an organic acid.

22. The method of claim 21, wherein the second composition comprises a compound selected from the group consisting of an acetate, a propanoate, a hexanoate, an ester, and an amine.

23. The method of claim 22, wherein the second composition comprises hexanoate nanoparticles.

24. The method of claim 1, wherein the substance is nitric acid.

25. The method of claim 24, wherein the second composition comprises a compound selected from the group consisting of a sulfate, a phosphate, or a halide.

26. The method of claim 24, further comprising reacting the second composition with an alkaline solution to form a hydroxide compound.

27. The method of claim 1, wherein the first composition is made by a precursor which comprises at least one metal carboxylate.

28. The method of claim 1, wherein the second composition comprises an organometallic rare earth element comprising a compound selected from acetates, propanoates, hexanoates, esters, amines, and aromatics.