Yttrium(III) hydroxide is an
inorganic compound
An inorganic compound is typically a chemical compound that lacks carbon–hydrogen bondsthat is, a compound that is not an organic compound. The study of inorganic compounds is a subfield of chemistry known as ''inorganic chemistry''.
Inorgan ...
and an
alkali
In chemistry, an alkali (; from the Arabic word , ) is a basic salt of an alkali metal or an alkaline earth metal. An alkali can also be defined as a base that dissolves in water. A solution of a soluble base has a pH greater than 7.0. The a ...
with the chemical formula Y(OH)
3.
Production
Yttrium(III) hydroxide can be produced by reacting
yttrium(III) nitrate and
sodium hydroxide
Sodium hydroxide, also known as lye and caustic soda, is an inorganic compound with the formula . It is a white solid ionic compound consisting of sodium cations and hydroxide anions .
Sodium hydroxide is a highly corrosive base (chemistry), ...
in aqueous solution:
[田俐，陈稳纯，陈琳 等. 水热法合成氢氧化钇纳米管. 无机材料学报. 2009. 24(2): 335-339]
: Y(NO
3)
3 + 3 NaOH → Y(OH)
3↓ + 3 NaNO
3
This gives yttrium(III) hydroxide as a white gelatinous precipitate, which can be dried to a white powder.
Chemical properties
Yttrium(III) hydroxide is an alkali, so it can react with
acid
An acid is a molecule or ion capable of either donating a proton (i.e. Hydron, hydrogen cation, H+), known as a Brønsted–Lowry acid–base theory, Brønsted–Lowry acid, or forming a covalent bond with an electron pair, known as a Lewis ...
:
: Y(OH)
3 + 3 HNO
3 → Y(NO
3)
3 + 3 H
2O
: 2 Y(OH)
3 + 3 H
2SO
4 → Y
2(SO
4)
3 + 3 H
2O
The compound absorbs atmospheric
carbon dioxide
Carbon dioxide is a chemical compound with the chemical formula . It is made up of molecules that each have one carbon atom covalent bond, covalently double bonded to two oxygen atoms. It is found in a gas state at room temperature and at norma ...
.
When heated, yttrium(III) hydroxide will decompose:
: 2 Y(OH)
3 →
Y2O3 + 3 H
2O↑
References
{{yttrium compounds
Yttrium compounds
Hydroxides