Ytterbium(III) oxide

Ytterbium(III) oxide is the chemical compound with the formula Yb₂O₃. It is one of the more commonly encountered compounds of ytterbium. It occurs naturally in trace amounts in the mineral gadolinite. It was first isolated from this in 1878 by Jean Charles Galissard de Marignac.^[3]

Ytterbium(III) oxide

Ytterbium(III) oxide
Names
IUPAC name Ytterbium(III) oxide.
Other names Ytterbia diytterbium trioxide ytterbium sesquioxide
Identifiers
CAS Number	1314-37-0 Y
ChemSpider	3337532
ECHA InfoCard	100.013.850
EC Number	215-234-0
PubChem CID	4124403
UNII	T66CZ53RP4 Y
CompTox Dashboard (EPA)	DTXSID20893855
Properties
Chemical formula	Yb2O3
Molar mass	394.08 g/mol
Appearance	White solid.
Density	9.17 g/cm3, solid.
Melting point	2,355 °C (4,271 °F; 2,628 K)
Boiling point	4,070 °C (7,360 °F; 4,340 K)
Solubility in water	Insoluble
Structure
Crystal structure	Cubic, cI80
Space group	Ia-3, No. 206
Coordination geometry	Octahedral
Thermochemistry
Std molar entropy (S⦵298)	133.05 J/mol·K [1]
Std enthalpy of formation (ΔfH⦵298)	−1814.600 kJ/mol [1]
Gibbs free energy (ΔfG⦵)	−1726.844 kJ/mol [1]
Hazards
GHS labelling:
Pictograms
Signal word	Warning
Hazard statements	H315, H319, H335
Precautionary statements	P261, P305+P351+P338[2]
NFPA 704 (fire diamond)	1 0 1
Flash point	Non-flammable.
Related compounds
Other anions	Ytterbium(III) sulfide, Ytterbium(III) chloride
Other cations	Thulium(III) oxide Lutetium(III) oxide
Except where otherwise noted, data are given for materials in their standard state (at 25 °C [77 °F], 100 kPa). Y verify (what is YN ?) Infobox references

Preparation

Ytterbium(III) oxide can be obtained by directly reacting ytterbium with oxygen:^[4]

4 Yb + 3 O₂ → 2 Yb₂O₃

It can also be obtained by the thermal decomposition of ytterbium carbonate or ytterbium oxalate at temperatures around 700 °C:^[5]

Yb₂(CO₃)₃ → Yb₂O₃ + 3CO₂

Yb₂(C₂O₄)₃ → Yb₂O₃ + 3 CO₂ + 3CO

Properties

Chemical

Ytterbium(III) oxide is a white powder.^[2] It reacts with carbon tetrachloride^[6] or hot hydrochloric acid to form ytterbium(III) chloride:^[7]

2 Yb₂O₃ + 3 CCl₄ → 4 YbCl₃ + 3 CO₂

Yb₂O₃ + 6 HCl → 2 YbCl₃ + 3 H₂O

Physical

Like the other trivalent oxides of the heavier lanthanides, ytterbium(III) oxide has the "rare-earth C-type sesquioxide" structure which is related to the fluorite structure with one quarter of the anions removed, leading to ytterbium atoms in two different six coordinate (non-octahedral) environments.^[8]

Uses

• Colorant for glasses and enamels^[9]
• Dopant for garnet crystals in lasers
• Optical fibers
• Additive for special alloys and dielectric ceramic materials^[10]

See also

• Active laser medium