Lanthanum information, including safety data and its properties, research, applications and other useful facts are discussed below. Scientific facts such as the atomic structure, ionization energy, abundance on Earth, conductivity and thermal properties are included.
Lanthanum is the first element in the rare earth or lanthanide series. It is the model for all the other trivalent rare earths. After cerium, it is the second most abundant of the rare earths. Lanthanum is available as metal and compounds with purities from 99% to 99.999% (ACS grade to ultra high purity); metals in the form of foil, sputtering target, and rod, and compounds as submicron and nanopowder. Lanthanum-rich lanthanide compositions have been used extensively for cracking reactions in FCC catalysts, especially to manufacture low-octane fuel for heavy crude oil. It is utilized in green phosphors based on the aluminate (La0.4Ce0.45Tb0.15)PO4. Lanthanide zirconates and lanthanum strontium manganites are used for their catalytic and conductivity properties and lanthanum stabilized zirconia has useful electrical and mechanical properties. Lanthanum's ability to bind with phosphates in water creates numerous uses in water treatment. It is utilized in laser crystals based on the yttrium-lanthanum-fluoride (YLF) composition. Lanthanum facts, including appearance, CAS #, and molecular formula and safety data, research and properties are
Oxides are available in forms including powders and dense pellets for such uses as optical coating and thin film applications. Oxides tend to be insoluble. Fluorides are another insoluble form for uses in which oxygen is undesirable such as metallurgy, chemical and physical vapor deposition and in some optical coatings. Lanthanum is available in soluble forms including chlorides, nitrates and acetates. These compounds are also manufactured as solutions at specified stoichiometries. Lanthanum is a Block F, Group 3, Period 6 element. The electronic configuration is [Xe] 5d1 6s2. In its elemental form lanthanum 's CAS number is 7439-91-0. The lanthanum atom has a radius of 187.pm and it's Van der Waals radius is 200.pm.All elemental metals, compounds and solutions may be synthesized in ultra high purity (e.g. 99.999%) for laboratory standards, advanced electronic, metallurgy and optical materials and other high technology advantages. Information is provided for stable (non-radioactive) isotopes. Organo-Metallic Lanthanum compounds are soluble in organic or non-aqueous solvents. See Analytical Services for information on available certified chemical and physical analysis techniques including MS-ICP, X-Ray Diffraction, PSD and Surface Area (BET) analysis. Lanthanum was first discovered by Carl Mosander in 1839.
Abundance. The following table shows the abundance of lanthanum and each of its naturally occurring isotopes on Earth along with the atomic mass for each isotope. |
lanthane
Lanthan
lantanio
Lantânio
lantano
LantanIsotope |
Atomic Mass |
% Abundance on Earth |
La-138 |
137.907107 |
0.09 |
La-139 |
138.906348 |
99.91 |
Safety Data. The safety data for lanthanum metal, nanoparticles and its compounds can vary widely depending on the form. For potential hazard information, toxicity, and road, sea and air transportation limitations, such as DOT Hazard Class, DOT Number, EU Number, NFPA Health rating and RTECS Class, please see the specific material or compound referenced in the left margin.
Ionization Energy. The ionization energy for lanthanum (the least required energy to release a single electron from the atom in it's ground state in the gas phase) is stated in the following table: |
1st Ionization Energy |
538.10 kJ mol-1 |
2nd Ionization Energy |
1067.14 kJ mol-1 |
3rd Ionization Energy |
1850.34 kJ mol-1 |
Conductivity. As to lanthanum 's electrical and thermal conductivity, the electrical conductivity measured as to electrical resistivity @ 20 ºC is 57 μΩcm and its electronegativities (or its ability to draw electrons relative to other elements) is 1.1. The thermal conductivity of lanthanum is 13.5 W m-1 K-1.
Thermal Properties. The melting point and boiling point for lanthanum are stated below. The following chart sets forth the heat of fusion, heat of vaporization and heat of atomization. |
Heat of Fusion |
10.04 kJ mol-1 |
Heat of Vaporization |
402.1 kJ mol-1 |
Heat of Atomization |
431.29 kJ mol-1 |
| Formula | Atomic Number | Molecular Weight | Electronegativity (Pauling) | Density | Melting Point | Boiling Point |
Vanderwaals radius |
Ionic radius | Energy of first ionization |
| La | 57 | 138.91 g.mol -1 | 1.1 | 6.18 g.cm-3 at 20 °C | 826 °C | Unknown °C | 200.pm | 0.104 nm (+3) | 538.10 kJ.mol-1 |
| PRODUCT CATALOG | UK Operations | Submicron & Nanopowder | Tolling | Ultra High Purity | Sputtering Target | Crystal Growth | Rod, Plate, Powder, etc. | Foil |
This website and all pages, designs, concepts, logos, and color schemes herein are
the copyrighted proprietary rights and intellectual property of American Elements.
