Erbium(III) nitrate is an
inorganic compound
In chemistry, an inorganic compound is typically a chemical compound that lacks carbon–hydrogen bonds, that is, a compound that is not an organic compound. The study of inorganic compounds is a subfield of chemistry known as '' inorganic chemist ...
, a salt of
erbium
Erbium is a chemical element with the symbol Er and atomic number 68. A silvery-white solid metal when artificially isolated, natural erbium is always found in chemical combination with other elements. It is a lanthanide, a rare-earth element
...
and
nitric acid
Nitric acid is the inorganic compound with the formula . It is a highly corrosive mineral acid. The compound is colorless, but older samples tend to be yellow cast due to decomposition into oxides of nitrogen. Most commercially available nitri ...
with the chemical formula Er(NO
3)
3. The compound forms pink crystals, readily soluble in water, also forms crystalline hydrates.
Synthesis
Dissolving metallic erbium in nitric acid:
::
Dissolving erbium oxide or hydroxide in nitric acid:
::
Reaction of
nitrogen dioxide with metallic erbium:
::
Physical properties
Erbium(III) nitrate forms pink hygroscopic crystals.
Forms crystalline hydrates of the composition
Er(NO3)3*5H2O.
Both erbium(III) nitrate and its crystalline hydrate decompose on heating.
Dissolves in
water
Water (chemical formula ) is an inorganic, transparent, tasteless, odorless, and nearly colorless chemical substance, which is the main constituent of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known living organisms (in which it acts as a ...
and
EtOH.
Chemical properties
The hydrated erbium nitrate thermally decomposed to form ErONO
3 and then to
erbium oxide
Erbium(III) oxide is the inorganic compound with the formula . It is a pink paramagnetic solid. It finds uses in various optical materials.
Structure
Erbium(III) oxide has a cubic structure resembling the bixbyite motif. The Er3+ centers are ...
.
Applications
It is used to obtain metallic erbium and is also used as a chemical reagent.
References
{{Nitrates
Erbium compounds
Nitrates