Gadolinium (III) Chloride Hydrate

Gadolinium (III) chloride hydrate is a white, water-soluble rare earth salt whose Gd³⁺ ion contains seven unpaired electrons, giving it the highest theoretical spin-only magnetic moment. As a result, it is widely used in the preparation of magnetic materials, including MRI contrast agents. In addition, Gadolinium has a high neutron-capture cross-section, making it an effective neutron absorber for applications in nuclear technology and neutron capture therapy.

For example, researchers from several institutions in Tianjin, China synthesized Gadolinium-doped Silicon nanoparticles using Gadolinium Chloride as a precursor, taking advantage of its solubility in hydrothermal processing. The resulting materials exhibited low biotoxicity, strong magnetic resonance signals, and excellent optical properties. In another study, researchers from institutions in Miyagi and Tokyo, Japan used Gadolinium trichloride hexahydrate as a soluble precursor to prepare Gadolinium Borate nanoparticles via a hydrothermal method. These nanoparticles showed no evidence of significant cytotoxicity and demonstrated promise for tumor accumulation in neutron capture therapy applications.

References:

1. Li, S., Wang, F., He, X. W., Li, W. Y., & Zhang, Y. K. (2018). One-pot hydrothermal preparation of gadolinium-doped silicon nanoparticles as a dual-modal probe for multicolor fluorescence and magnetic resonance imaging.(opens in new tab) Journal of Materials Chemistry B, 6(20), 3358–3365. https://doi.org/10.1039/C8TB00415C
2. Mikami, K., Kanetaka, H., Furuya, M., Yokota, K., Saijo, Y., Yokoi, T., & Kawashita, M. (2021). Hydrothermal synthesis and preliminary cytotoxicity assessment of gadolinium borate nanoparticles for neutron capture therapy.(opens in new tab) Journal of Nanoparticle Research 2021 23:9, 23(9), 201-. https://doi.org/10.1007/S11051-021-05311-4
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4. Liu, M., Zhang, Y., Hu, S., Zhou, G., Qin, X., & Wang, S. (2024). Preparation of Ce-Doped Gd3(Al, Ga)5O12 Nanopowders via Microwave-Assisted Homogenization Precipitation for Transparent Ceramic Scintillators.(opens in new tab) Materials 2024, Vol. 17, Page 1258, 17(6), 1258. https://doi.org/10.3390/MA17061258
5. Grippa, A. Y., Datsko, Y. N., Zelenskaya, O. v., & Kosinov, N. N. (2010). Synthesis and scintillation properties of GdCl3:Ce3+ (Gd1−xCexCl3, x = 0.005–0.08).(opens in new tab) Radiation Measurements, 45(3–6), 398–399. https://doi.org/10.1016/J.RADMEAS.2009.11.044