Product Properties
Product：Lanthanum Fluoride
Formula: LaF3
CAS No.: 13709-38-1
Molecular Weight: 195.90
Density: 5.936 g/cm3
Melting point: 1493 °C
Appearance: White powder or flake
Specification of Lanthanum Fluoride
| La2O3/TREO (% min.) | 99.999 | 99.99 | 99.9 | 99 |
| TREO (% min.) | 81 | 81 | 81 | 81 |
| Rare Earth Impurities | ppm max. | ppm max. | % max. | % max. |
| CeO2/TREO Pr6O11/TREO Nd2O3/TREO Sm2O3/TREO Eu2O3/TREO Gd2O3/TREO Y2O3/TREO | 5 5 2 2 2 2 5 | 50 50 10 10 10 10 50 | 0.05 0.02 0.02 0.013 0.001 0.002 0.011 | 0.5 0.2 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 0.1 |
| Non-Rare Earth Impurities | ppm max. | ppm max. | % max. | % max. |
| Fe2O3 SiO2 CaO CoO NiO CuO MnO2 Cr2O3 CdO PbO | 50 50 100 3 3 3 3 3 5 10 | 100 100 100 5 5 3 5 3 5 50 | 0.02 0.95 0.52 | 0.03 0.12 0.5 |
Application of Lanthanum Fluoride
Fluoride Crystal Lasers: Lanthanum fluoride is used as a host material for rare-earth-doped solid-state lasers. When doped with certain rare-earth ions (like neodymium, Nd³⁺), LaF₃ crystals can produce coherent light, making them useful in laser technology for applications ranging from medical devices to scientific research.
Radiation Detection: LaF₃ is utilized in scintillators for radiation detection and measurement. Scintillators are materials that luminesce when excited by ionizing radiation. Lanthanum fluoride scintillators are known for their fast response time and are used in nuclear medicine, high-energy physics experiments, and security systems to detect gamma rays and other forms of radiation.
Optical Components: Due to its wide transmission range and low refractive index, lanthanum fluoride is used in the manufacture of optical components such as lenses, windows, and prisms, especially for ultraviolet and infrared applications. Its excellent optical properties make it suitable for use in spectroscopy, astronomy, and various scientific instruments.
Electrochemical Applications: Lanthanum fluoride is used in the production of fluoride ion-selective electrodes, which are analytical tools used to measure the concentration of fluoride ions in solutions. These electrodes are important in environmental monitoring, water treatment, and dental research to study the effects of fluoride on tooth enamel.