DECOMPOSITION TEMPERATURES OF CU2LN2O5 (LN = TB, DY, HO, ER, TM, YB, AND LU) COMPOUNDS

The equilibrium decomposition temperatures of Cu2Ln2O5 (Ln = Th, Dy, H o, Er, Tm, Yb, and Lu) compounds have been measured using a combined D TA-TGA apparatus under a flowing Ar + O2 gas mixture, in which the par tial pressure of oxygen was controlled at 5.0 x 10(3) Pa. The Cu2Ln2O5 compounds yield Ln2O3 and Cu2O on decomposition. The decomposition te mperature increases monotonically with the atomic number of the lantha nide element. This suggests that the stability of the Cu2Ln2O5 compoun ds with respect to the component binary oxides increases with decreasi ng radius of the Ln3+ ion.