Uses and Applications
La2O3 is used to make optical glasses, to which this oxide confers increased density, refractive index, and hardness. Together with oxides of tungsten, tantalum, and thorium, La2O3 improves the resistance of the glass to attack by alkali. La2O3 is an ingredient for the manufacture of piezoelectric and thermoelectric materials. Automobile exhaust-gas converters contain La2O3. La2O3 is also used in X-ray imaging intensifying screens, phosphors as well as dielectric and conductive ceramics.
La2O3 has been examined for the oxidative coupling of methane.
La2O3 films can be deposited by many different methods, including: chemical vapor disposition, thermal oxidation, sputtering, and spray pyrolysis. Depositions of these films occur in a temperature range of 250–450 °C. Polycrystalline films are formed at 350 °C.
Read more about this topic: Lanthanum(III) Oxide