Yttrium chloride
[CAS# 10361-92-9]

Identification

• Classification: Inorganic chemical industry >> Inorganic salt >> Metal halides and halides >> Metal chlorides and salts
• Name: Yttrium chloride
• Synonyms: Yttrium trichloride; Yttrium(III) chloride
• Molecular Formula: YCl₃
• Molecular Weight: 195.26
• CAS Registry Number: 10361-92-9
• EC Number: 233-801-0
• SMILES: [Cl-].[Cl-].[Cl-].[Y+3]

Properties

• Density: 2.67 g/mL (25 ºC)
• Melting point: 360 ºC^*

^* Korshunov, B. G.; Zhurnal Neorganicheskoi Khimii 1964, V9(1), P222-3.

Safety Data

• Hazard Symbols: GHS05;GHS07;GHS09 Danger
• Hazard Statements: H317-H318-H410
• Precautionary Statements: P261-P272-P273-P280-P302+P352-P305+P351+P338

Hazard Classification

Hazard	Class	Category Code	Hazard Statement
Eye irritation	Eye Irrit.	2	H319
Skin irritation	Skin Irrit.	2	H315
Specific target organ toxicity - single exposure	STOT SE	3	H335
Serious eye damage	Eye Dam.	1	H318
Acute hazardous to the aquatic environment	Aquatic Acute	1	H400
Skin sensitization	Skin Sens.	1B	H317
Chronic hazardous to the aquatic environment	Aquatic Chronic	1	H410
Acute toxicity	Acute Tox.	4	H312
Acute toxicity	Acute Tox.	4	H302
Acute toxicity	Acute Tox.	4	H332
Skin sensitization	Skin Sens.	1	H317
Chronic hazardous to the aquatic environment	Aquatic Chronic	2	H411
Substances or mixtures corrosive to metals	Met. Corr.	1	H290

Discovory and Applicatios

Yttrium chloride (YCl3) is an important compound in the field of inorganic chemistry. It appears as a white to pale yellow crystalline solid that is soluble in water, ethanol, and hydrochloric acid. It is hygroscopic, with a melting point of about 721°C and a boiling point of about 1,500°C. It forms hydrates in aqueous solutions, usually in the form of YCl₃·6H₂O. Yttrium was discovered in 1794 by Finnish chemist Johan Gadolin while analyzing yttrium ore in Ytterby, Sweden. As researchers explored the reactivity and utility of yttrium in various chemical processes, yttrium chloride also gained attention as a versatile compound that can be used in both laboratory and industrial applications.

Yttrium chloride can be used as a catalyst for polymerization reactions, especially in the production of polyolefins. It promotes the formation of long-chain molecules and is valuable in the manufacture of plastics and synthetic rubbers. Yttrium chloride is used as a Lewis acid catalyst in organic synthesis, facilitating reactions such as Friedel-Crafts alkylation and acylation, which are essential for the generation of complex organic compounds.

Yttrium chloride is used to make advanced ceramics. Yttrium chloride is key to the production of yttria-stabilized zirconia (YSZ), a material known for its high-temperature stability and ionic conductivity, which is used in fuel cells and thermal barrier coatings. Yttrium chloride is used to produce yttrium aluminum garnet (YAG) and other optical materials. These materials are key ingredients in lasers, phosphors, and optical devices that provide high efficiency and durability.

Yttrium chloride is added to phosphors used in cathode ray tubes (CRTs), LED displays, and fluorescent lamps. Yttrium chloride has aided the development of red phosphors, improving the color quality and brightness of electronic displays.

Yttrium chloride is used in the synthesis of high-temperature superconducting materials, such as YBa₂Cu₃O₇ (YBCO). These materials exhibit superconductivity at relatively high temperatures and are expected to have applications in energy transmission and magnetic levitation. Yttrium chloride is used in nuclear science because of its neutron absorption properties. Yttrium chloride is studied for use in nuclear reactors and radiation shielding materials.

Yttrium chloride is used to produce specialized metal alloys. Yttrium enhances the properties of metals, including aluminum and magnesium alloys, by improving strength, corrosion resistance, and thermal stability. These alloys are important in the aerospace and automotive industries.

Yttrium chloride is used as a reagent in a variety of chemical syntheses, including the preparation of yttrium complexes and coordination compounds. Its reactivity with organic and inorganic substrates makes it widely used in laboratory research.