Microstructural Features of Poly(N-Vinylpyrrolidone)−La(NO3)3 ⋅ 6H2O Hydrogel

• Published in: Crystallography reports Vol. 66; no. 4; pp. 699 - 703
• Main Authors: Orekhov, A. S., Arkharova, N. A., Klechkovskaya, V. V.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Moscow Pleiades Publishing 01-07-2021; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Crystallography and Scattering Methods; Hydrogels; Inclusions; Lanthanum; Nanorods; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Polyvinylpyrrolidone; Surface and Thin Films; Transmission electron microscopy
• ISSN: 1063-7745; 1562-689X
• DOI: 10.1134/S1063774521040179

The structural features of the poly(N-vinylpyrrolidone)–La(NO
3
)
3
⋅ 6H
2
O composite hydrogel were studied by scanning and transmission electron microscopy. The La(NO
3
)
3
⋅ 6H
2
O powder, which was used for the preparation of the composite, was shown to contain also hexagonal prismatic crystals with an edge of ~1.8 µm and needle-like crystals with a width of 1 µm and a length of up to 50 µm. During the composite formation, the La(NO
3
)
3
⋅ 6H
2
O powder is hydrolyzed in the bulk of the hydrogel, and lanthanum is uniformly distributed in the matrix. However, flower-like structures up to 20 µm in diameter are formed on the surface of the composite. These structures are composed of lanthanum- and oxygen-rich nanorods. Transmission electron microscopy studies of dried hydrogels showed that the composite hydrogel and flower-like inclusions have an amorphous structure.