Nanosized rare earth (RE) hydroxides including La(OH)3, Nd(OH)3, Pr(OH)3, Sm(OH)3, Gd(OH)3, and Er(OH)3 with rod-like morphology are fabricated via a convenient hydrothermal approach. This strategy calls for the first preparation of metal complexes between RE precursors and dodecylamine (DDA) in water/ethanol mixture at room temperature and subsequent thermal decomposition at elevated temperature. The influence of reaction time and water/ethanol volume ratios on the morphology and size of as-prepared RE hydroxides are investigated. CeO2 nanoparticles with spherical shape could be directly obtained by hydrothermal treatment of complexes formed between Ce precursors and DDA. In addition, by further calcinating the RE hydroxides at high temperature in air, RE oxide nanorods could be readily produced.
