Holmium chloride

Chemical properties

Yellow monoclinic crystals; hygroscopic; density 3.7 g/cm3 ; melts at 718°C; vaporizes at 1,500°C; readily dissolves in water.

Physical properties

Yellow monoclinic crystals; hygroscopic; density 3.7 g/cm³; melts at 718°C;vaporizes at 1,500°C; readily dissolves in water.

The Uses of Holmium chloride

Holmium(III) chloride has many application in the field of nuclear industry, lasers research applications. It is also employed in calibration of optical spectrophotometers.

The Uses of Holmium chloride

Holmium chloride is an intermediate for preparing holmium metal.

Preparation

Holmium chloride is obtained from rare-earth minerals. Recovery steps are discussed above (see Holmium). The rare-earth mineral is cracked by acid attack by heating with hydrochloric acid. The water-soluble chloride salt is filtered and separated from insoluble residues. The hydrated chloride salt is heated at 350°C in a current of hydrogen chloride to yield anhydrous HoCl3 . Heating in air in the absence of hydrogen chloride yields holmium oxychloride, HoOCl. Holmium chloride may be purified by distillation or vacuum sublimation.
Holmium chloride also can be prepared by heating holmium oxide with ammonium chloride:
Ho2O3 + 6NH4Cl-->2HoCl3 + 6NH3 + 3H2O