Synthesis and characterization of precursors based on lanthanum catalysts application

The use of precursors based upon the rare earths has considerable interest for the manufacture of catalysts. Starting with a rare earths fraction depleted in cerium (a low cerium carbonate, LCC) produced locally by the industrial processing of monazite sand as raw material, a very pure concentrate of lanthanum was prepared. The rare earth chloride solution was loaded into a strong cationic ion exchange resin and next elution was made using ammonium salt of EDTA. No barrier ion was used. The lanthanum fraction was separated from EDTA and then precipitated as oxalate and fired to lanthanum oxide. This oxide was dissolved with acetic acid and the solution evapored to crystallize the pure lanthanum acetate. (author)