Stable aquasols of hydrous rare earth oxides and their preparation

Claim 2

A STABLE AQUASOL OF HYDROUS OXIDE OF RARE EARTH ELEMENT HAVING AN ATOMIC NUMBER OF FROM 57 TO 71, IN CLUSIVE, THE AQUASOL HAVING A CONCENTRATION OF FROM 10 TO 50% BY WEIGHT OF SAID RARE EARTH OXIDE IN THE FORM OF PARTICLES RANGING FROM ABOUT 5 TO 200 MILLIMICRONS IN THE LARGEST DIMENSION WITH LENGTH TO DIAMETER RATIOS OF FROM ABOUT 1:1 TO5:1 AND HAVING A PH OF FROM 7.0 TO 8.3, AND CONTAINING A STABILIZING MONOVALENT ANION, THE MOL RATIO OF SAID RARE EARTH OXIDE TO STABILIZING MONOVALENT ANION BEING FROM 6,6:1 TO 165:1

Claim 3

A PROCESS FOR PREPARING A STABLE AQUASOL OF A HYDROUS OXIDE OF A RARE EARTH ELEMENT HAVING AN ATOMIC NUMBER OF FROM 57 TO 71, INCLUSIVE, THE PROCESS COMPRISING THE STEPS OF CONTACTING WITH AMMONIA IN AQUEOUS SOLUTION A SALT OF AMONVALENT ANION AND A RARE EARTH ELEMENT HAVING AN ATOMIC NUMBER OF FROM 57 TO 71, INCLUSIVE, TO PRODUCE A PRECIPITATE OF THE CORRESPONDING RARE EARTH OXIDE REMOVING ESSENTIALLY ALL OF THE SOLUBLE AMMONIUM SALTS WHILE MAINTAINING THE FREE AMMONIA CONTENT AT A LEVEL TO KEEP THE PH IN THE RANGE OF FROM ABOUT 9.5 TO 10.5 AND THEN PEPTIZING THE RESULTING HYDROUS RARE EARTH OXIDE BY HEATING 1 PART OF TH HYDROUS RARE EARTH OXIDE PRECIPITATE WITH AT LEAST 10 PARTS OF WATER AT A TEMPERATURE OF FROM ABOUT 6/ TO 100*C. FOR FROM ABOUT 5 TO 60 MINUTES WHILE AGITATIN, THE MONOVALENT ANION CONTENT OF THE PEPTIZED PRODUCT BEING SUCH THAT THE MOL RATIO OF RARE EARTH TO SAID ANION ID FROM 6.6:1 165:1

Claim 4

A PROCESS FOR PREPARING A STABLE AQUASOL OF A HYDROUS OXIDE OF A RARE EARTH ELEMENT HAVING AN ATOMIC NUMBER OF FROM 57 TO 71, INCLUSIVE, THE PROCESS COMPRISING THE STEPS OF CONTACTING WITH AMMONIA IN AQUEOUS SOLUTION A SALT OF AMONVALENT ANION AND A RARE EARTH ELEMENT HAVING AN ATOMIC NUMBER OF FROM 57 TO 71, INCLUSIVE, TO PRODUCE A PRECIPITATE OF THE CORRESPONDING RARE EARTH OXIDE REMOVING ESSENTIALLY ALL OF THE SOLUBLE AMMONIUM SALTS WHILE MAINTAINING THE FREE AMMONIA CONTENT AT A LEVEL TO KEEP THE PH IN THE RANGE OF FROM ABOUT 9.5 TO 10.5 AND THEN PEPTIZING THE RESULTING HYDROUS RARE EARTH OXIDE BY HEATING 1 PART OF TH HYDROUS RARE EARTH OXIDE PRECIPITATE WITH AT LEAST 10 PARTS OF WATER AT A TEMPERATURE OF FROM ABOUT 6/ TO 100*C. FOR FROM ABOUT 5 TO 60 MINUTES WHILE AGITATIN, THE MONOVALENT ANION CONTENT OF THE PEPTIZED PRODUCT BEING SUCH THAT THE MOL RATIO OF RARE EARTH TO SAID ANION ID FROM 6.6:1 165:1