Holmium chloride Property

Melting point:

718 °C(lit.)

Boiling point:

1500°C

Density 

3,7 g/cm³

storage temp. 

under inert gas (nitrogen or Argon) at 2-8°C

solubility 

soluble in H2O

form 

powder

color 

Off-white to pink

Water Solubility 

Soluble in water.

Crystal Structure

AlCl3 type

Sensitive 

Hygroscopic

Merck 

14,4727

crystal system

Monoclinic

Space group

C2/m

Lattice constant

a/nm	b/nm	c/nm	α/o	β/o	γ/o	V/nm3
0.685	1.185	0.639	90	110.8	90	0.485

Stability:

hygroscopic

CAS DataBase Reference

10138-62-2(CAS DataBase Reference)

EPA Substance Registry System

Holmium chloride (HoCl3) (10138-62-2)

Safety

Hazard Codes 

Xi

Risk Statements 

36/37/38

Safety Statements 

26-37/39

WGK Germany 

3

RTECS 

MS7350000

TSCA 

Yes

HS Code 

28469000

Toxicity

mouse,LD50,intraperitoneal,312mg/kg (312mg/kg),BEHAVIORAL: SOMNOLENCE (GENERAL DEPRESSED ACTIVITY)BEHAVIORAL: FOOD INTAKE (ANIMAL)LUNGS, THORAX, OR RESPIRATION: OTHER CHANGES,Archives of Environmental Health. Vol. 5, Pg. 437, 1962.

Hazard and Precautionary Statements (GHS)

Symbol(GHS)

Signal word

Warning

Hazard statements

H315Causes skin irritation

H319Causes serious eye irritation

H335May cause respiratory irritation

Precautionary statements

P261Avoid breathing dust/fume/gas/mist/vapours/spray.

P264Wash hands thoroughly after handling.

P264Wash skin thouroughly after handling.

P271Use only outdoors or in a well-ventilated area.

P280Wear protective gloves/protective clothing/eye protection/face protection.

P302+P352IF ON SKIN: wash with plenty of soap and water.

P305+P351+P338IF IN EYES: Rinse cautiously with water for several minutes. Remove contact lenses, if present and easy to do. Continuerinsing.

Holmium chloride Chemical Properties,Usage,Production

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.

Uses

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

Uses

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